The Difference One Night Makes
by Sara's Shadow
Summary: Hermione isn't what she's believed to be and Draco is free from the vice-grip of his father. Missing bits of their lives slowly fall into place through letters, visits, and rumors. DMHG
1. Prologue

Author's Note: This fanfiction is being written by my cousin and I. We brainstormed this while sitting in a car and we decided to write it and post it on my account. (Cousin) Yes, we had nothing better to do than to sit in a car and brainstorm a stort. So here it is, I hope you like it.

Disclaimer: We DO NOT own Harry Potter or any of the characters. J.K.R. does so don't assume otherwise.

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Prologue

18 years ago...

A woman sitting at the bar looks around hoping to find the bathroom. Her vision is a little blurry due to the amount of alcohol she has been drinking. She finally spots the bathroom at the other end of the bar. She stands up and starts to head in that direction. With each step she takes she sways and then just before she reaches the bathroom she trips over her own feet. A mysterious good looking man seated at the bar quickly reaches out to catch her. He does so with practiced ease, like he had done it a hundred times before. She looks up into his eyes and smiles.

"Heyy hunnyy, what are youu dooing toniight?" she slurred.

"Not too much having a few drinks. What about you?" the man replied.

"Jusst finisshed my finaals for schoool and now I'm celebraating. Thanks for the catch. I neeed to usse the washroom. If you'd bee a deeaar?"

The man chuckled, "Not a problem."

The man helped the woman to the bathroom door and she stumbled inside. He waited outside in case she needed help afterward. He was hardly tipsy since he was used to much stronger drinks like those that burned like fire as they went down a person's troat.

A moment later the woman stumbled back out and fell against him.

"How aabout aa-a dance?" she laughed.

The man laughed as he said, "A dance sounds good to me."

They walk out onto the dance floor with their arms around each other. Just as they turn to each other to start dancing a slow song comes on. The woman sighs and slumps against the man. He pulls her close and sways to the music. She rests her head on his chest and he rests his chin on her head. He is fascinated by the sent of her hair, without smelling the alcohol, while she hears nothing but his heart beat. They lose themselves in each other on the dance floor and it isn't until the house lights come up that they move apart. Without saying a word they head for the door.

Once they were outside they start talking again. They decide to head to her place for a coffee since it's only a few blocks away and closer than his and well… screaming portraits kind of scare muggles.

They walk to her place hand in hand talking about nothing important. The weather, her schooling, and her future plans are discussed but when she tries to get him to open up he refuses and changes the subject. Up the stairs to her flat they go. He takes the key from her to open the door, holding it open he allows her to enter before him. Once inside the apartment she walks into the kitchen with much more ease than earlier and turns on the coffee. He gladly accepts the coffee. They sit there for a while drinking coffee.

The man suddenly reached his hand across the table and touches her face where there was a bit of dirt. The next thing that happened was something that neither of them could ever explain. They suddenly started kissing and they managed to find the woman's bedroom. The coffee is left forgotten on the kitchen table.

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The next morning he is gone and all there is a note with his name on it. She has no way of contacting him. He doesn't live in her London. She will probably never see him again. Two months later she discovers that she was left with more than a note. She is left with morning sickness. Well her friends from school were right it only takes one night of passion to make a baby.

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Author's Note: How was it? Read and Review. 


	2. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: No we don't own Harry Potter... if we did well lets just say we would be on vacation right now.

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Chapter 1

Hermione Granger sat in a comfy seat of the Hogwart's Express. She shifted around in the seat, making herself comfortable as this would be her last time sitting in the train going to Hogwarts.

She fiddled with a gold pin with her fingers as she stared absent-mindedly at the empty seat across from her. The pin was the shape of the Hogwarts crest and the words 'Head Girl' were crafted into the gold that was barely bigger than her thumb.

Her friends haven't arrived yet. She had to have been there for at least 10 minutes already. It was like this every year and she still got nervous when the clock outside her window read 10:55 and they were still not on the train yet.

Various thoughts roamed her head. This was her last year before she went off to work towards her next goal life. She would never sit in Professor McGonagall's Transfiguration classes, Professor Filtwick's Charms classes or even Professor Snape's Potions classes.

She began to think about all of the people that helped shape her into who she was to date.

'Mom hasn't been herself lately. I don't know what's wrong with her. I don't think it was dad…'

Her mother brought her into the world and taught her to be a girl. Hermione loved her mother very much. Lately though, she had been pale and sick looking. Hermione couldn't help but be more worried for her since her mother was now on her own, other than Crookshanks, whom Hermione decided to leave home this year.

'Dad helped bring me into the world and raised me with mom. He's not around anymore and I haven't spoken to him he walked out.'

Hermione's parents had a divorce the summer between her fifth and sixth year. It was a nasty fight. Hermione had been in the sitting room reading a book when a glass collided with the glass door behind her and shattered. Hermione's instinct had told her to run up the stairs and get her wand. As she was doing that, she looked into the kitchen and saw that her parents were fighting. She had shouted at them to stop but they never did. Another glass smashed on the floor at her father's feet. Hermione was hysterical as she continued to shout at her parents to stop. Her father had yelled at her to go to her room. He had been holding another glass at the time so she ran up to her room and cried on her bed. She could hear everything that happened in the kitchen. She knew her father didn't hurt her mother and vice versa. She heard her mother run up to her room looking angry and telling her grab some things because they were going to her aunt's for the night. The next day her father was gone, and she never heard from him since.

'Harry and Ron are my best friends. I don't know how I would've made it through school without them…'

'Harry, always getting into trouble and ending up saving the world. I think I have lost count how many times he has taken on the dark side and won. The first thing I really remember is him and Ron saving me from that troll. From that point on I was going to be on thier side.'

'Ron, well he is a Weasley. Bright red hair and the temper to match. I remember in second year when he tried to jinx Malfoy and it backfired because his wand was broke. Poor guy was stuck spitting up slugs for 3 hours, all because he was sticking up for me. Sweet and true to the end that guy.'

'Where are those guys? I swear they wait until the very last minute to do anything.'

'Harry's godfather Sirus was great to him. A bit reckless but still you could tell he truely loved Harry. It's too bad that Sirus never had a family. He would have made a great dad and maybe even had settled down. I wonder how Remus is holding up nowadays. I haven't seen him since the end of the war.'

'Ginny is such a sweetie... too bad she couldn't convince those boys to move a little faster. Her and Harry made a really cute couple. Once she got past the fact that she was afraid to talk to him. Some how she managed to keep Ron from beating Harry to a plup over the relationship and the break up. I think the reason why she managed was Ron was afraid Ginny would jinx him into the middle of next week if he tried to screw it up for her. But now that is done and over with and they managed to stay friends.'

'Lavender and Pavarti… I'll admit it… they were great roommates. Every girl needs another girl to confine in… Lavender, Pavarti and Ginny were always there for me. I'm going to miss their gossiping this year because I have to share a common room with the Head Boy. I'm so going to visit them as much as possible.'

'And then there's Malfoy. Draco Bloody Malfoy: The Boy-Who-Can't-Stand-Anyone-Deemed-Lower-Than-Him.'

Hermione smiled.

'I have to give him some credit though. He really changed. It must've taken a lot to stand against his father, even though he didn't really fight for us. He fought for himself for what he believed to be right…'

_Hermione ducked as another spell whizzed by her. She, in return, sent a stunning curse at her attacker before running for the forbidden forest. She had spotted Voldomort enter the forest a while ago with Harry hot on his tail._

_She entered the forest and carefully searched for her best friend. Her eyes kept looking around at the ground and her surroundings. She didn't want to step on a stick and alert anyone of her presence and she didn't want to be caught off guard by a passing Death Eater._

_SNAP!_

_She was 100 percent sure that she didn't step on a stick so she spun around and held up her wand at her pursuer. Her pursuer was none other than…_

"_Malfoy," she seethed._

_Malfoy looked at her, then her wand, then back at her. He lowered his own wand and looked deep into her eyes. He could see many emotions soaring through them: fear, anger, confusion, sadness. _

_Malfoy shook his head before saying, "I'm not going to hurt you, Granger. You can lower you wand."_

"_NO!" she spat._

"_I'm not here to get you. I'm here for someone else," Malfoy said with annoyance._

"_You're going after Harry! I'm not going to let you!" Hermione yelled while keeping her wand aimed directly at his chest._

"_Why would I waste my time on him? I have other, important things to take care of," he scoffed._

"_Like what?" she growled._

"_Why should I tell you?" he glowered._

_Hermione glared at him._

"_I'm not going to hurt you or your little Gryffindor friends. I have a different score to settle. Remember this… I'm not against you, but I'm not with you either."_

_And on that note he started to walked away. Hermione lowered her arm, clearly confused._

"_Malfoy!" she called after him._

_He stopped and looked over his shoulder._

"_What?"_

_Why did she called him back? She shifted back and forth on her feet for a moment._

"…_Be careful," she finally said._

_She could have been mistaken, but his eyes looked like they had softened for a moment before he nodded and left. She didn't know why she said that. But she did._

_Hermione quickly scanned her surroundings before going back and searching for Harry._

BANG!

Hermione was pulled from her thoughts as the door to the compartment slammed opened, causing her to jump.

"Merlin, you two! Can't you be any quieter opening a door? I don't know how the pair of you manage to sneak up on anyone," Hermione said while recomposing herself.

Harry and Ron smile sheepishly as they jostle themselves into the compartment carrying their owls in cages. Just as they sat down, Ginny walked in much quieter than the boys. Ginny sat down next to Harry while Ron sat next to Hermione close to the door. Harry was across from Ron. Everyone was just about to speak when the train started move.

"I don't know how the three of you manage to just make the train every year. Well, I guess you and Ron didn't make the one year, driving that silly car to school, what did you think it was a muggle school and that was acceptable?" Hermione scolded them like she did every year on the train after that little incident.

"Well hello to you too, 'Mione. And yes, my summer was wonderful, thanks for asking," Ron said sarcastically.

"Sorry about that. Hello, Harry, Ginny, Ron. How were your vacations? Sorry I couldn't spend more time at the Burrow." Hermione said in a much softer tone than before.

Before any of them could reply the door to the compartment opened. Draco Malfoy looked around the cabin at the occupants gave his signature sneer and left.

"Well that was a change. No little comments just the sneer. Well, a marked improvement from other years," Harry said.

"He's still a bloody git," Ron pretty much growled.

Everyone chuckled at Ron's comment. Hermione looked down at her watch and she saw that she was supposed to meet Professor McGonagall for a Head's meeting.

"Sorry guys, I have to go to the Heads' meeting. I'm Head girl!" 'Mione said as she got up and walked to the door.

"See you later, 'Mione!" Ginny called.

"Have fun," Harry said as she passed.

"Are you going to come back here before we stop?" Ron asked.

"Oh yeah, this shouldn't take long. I'll see you later!" Hermione waved as she exited the compartment.

Hermione opened the door to the heads' compartment and saw Professor McGonagall seated across from none other than Draco Malfoy.

"Thank you for joining us, Ms. Granger," Proffessor McGonagall said as she pointed towards the seat beside Malfoy. Hermione looked at the seat for a moment before sitting in it.

"About time you made Granger," Malfoy said rolling his eyes.

"Now, Mr. Malfoy, no need to be rude," McGonagall chastised lightly. "The two of you will need to learn to get along as you will be sharing a common room, bathroom as well as a small kitchenette. Let me just briefly outline your duties. You will be required to make a patrol schedule, organize the Yule Ball, and we also would like to add a year end ball for all the students. You must also set an example for all other students. You know that you have the privilege of rewarding and removing house points. If either of you seem to abuse this it will be removed. Do you understand all that is required of you?"

"Yes, Professor," 'Mione and Malfoy answered together.

"Very well. You will now make a patrol schedule for the next week and then you'll have a quick prefect meeting. I will now go and I will see you in the Great Hall." Professor McGonagall stated as she handed Hermione and Malfoy each a slip of parchment and left the compartment.

"I can't believe I'm going to be stuck with you all year. Sharing a COMMON ROOM, Merlin." Hermione complained. "Well there is nothing I can do to change it so let's get on with the schedule making."

"Well you have fun with that. I'm going to go and see what Zabini, Crabbe and Goyle are up to." Malfoy said as he left the compartment.

'Here I was thinking he was actually starting to not be so much of a git. Git or not a git his body still reminds me of a Greek god… WHAT WAS I THINKING, that's MALFOY.' Hermione thought in a slight panic. 'oh well I must get this schedule done and have that meeting with the prefects. I know that Ron and Ginny will come around since they are prefects. I think that parchment McGonagall gave me is a list of them all. Here it is… well here we go.' 'Mione spent the next 20 minutes on the schedule before returning to her compartment with her friends.

They took turns in the compartment to put on their school robes. Hermione proudly displayed her Head Girl badge nest to the crest of Hogwarts. Hermione, Ron, and Ginny had to leave Harry for a while since they all needed to go to a quick prefect meeting. They then wandered to the prefect compartment, and had a brief meeting with everyone there and notified them about their patrol duties for the next week and when the next meeting was. She was slightly irritated with Malfoy, who just sat there during the meeting. She was glad they didn't have much to go over.

After everyone had left, she, Ron, and Ginny made their way back to Harry. It wasn't long after that the train reached Hogwart's. It was also her and Malfoy's duty as a Heads to make sure the first years all made it over to Hagrid before she left for the castle. It didn't take long. And soon she was standing with her friends waiting for a carriage.

She saw the Thestrals pull a carriage up. She doubted that anyone couldn't see them that was her age. They had all been in the war and seen many people die.

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PaRTy-GiRL089: Thanks so much for the review.

Has anyone figured out the mystery people in the prologue?... REVIEW please!


	3. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: As much as we dream and wish no we didn't create Harry Potter

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Chapter 2

The start of school feast was fabulous, as always, but things started to go downhill when Hermione told Harry and Ron that she was going to be in a separate common room this year. If that wasn't bad enough, then sharing one Draco Malfoy was icing on the cake.

"_What do you have to share a common room with Malfoy?! I swear if he ever lays one hand on you…"_

Needless to say, they were slightly sceptical about the situation and held back from letting her go, but after much reassurance from Hermione that she could take care of herself and persuasion from the Headmaster himself, they let her go, but not without glaring at the blond boy's back as he was led out of the Great Hall along with Hermione.

Headmaster Dumbledore lead the two head students up to the fourth floor and stopped in front of a portrait of a raven-haired witch with pale skin and wearing a black dress in front of the Whomping Willow. Hermione winced just remembering her first encounter with the raging tree. She sub-consciously rubbed her stomach where the tree had grabbed her and held her with a vice grip as it swung her around savagely while she and Harry were trying to get into the base of the tree back in their third year.

The movement didn't go unnoticed by Malfoy. He knew about the Golden Trio's adventure to the Whomping Willow and that the trio were all sent to the hospital wing to get rid several of cuts, scrapes and bruises from the tree. Of course _everyone_ knew about that.

"Good evening, Headmaster Dumbledore," the witch in the portrait greeted.

"Good evening, Lady Thina. I introduce you to this years head students, Miss Hermione Granger and Mr. Draco Malfoy," Dumbledore said motioning to the two students.

"Good evening, students," Lady Thina curtsied as the Whomping Willow swayed calmly in the background.

Malfoy nodded while Hermione said, "Good evening."

Dumbledore turned to the students and smiled, "Your room is up the stairs to the right Miss Granger. Yours, Mr. Malfoy, is on the left. The password is 'lineage'. Have a pleasant night."

On that note the Headmaster left the two students with Lady Thina. Hermione was the first to speak.

"Lineage," she said.

Lady Thina in the portrait nodded and the portrait door swung open. Hermione stepped inside and gasped at the common room. Hermione felt like a princess living in luxury at that moment.

The carpet was a rich cream colour. A black couch and two black chairs sat facing the fire place. The walls were the classic Hogwart's stones with portraits of various witches and wizards and a chandelier hung in the centre of the room. The door to Hermione's room was a portrait of a lion and Malfoy's was a portrait of a snake.

Hermione took off in a dash to her room as Malfoy made his way inside. He didn't gape at the integrity of the room because as far as he was concerned this was how a room should look. He just made his way up to the portrait of the snake.

Hermione and Malfoy had to come up with their own passwords to their rooms. Hermione's turned out to be 'honour' and Malfoy's was 'deception'.

Hermione was once again gaping at the beauty of the room. The carpet was red adorned with gold spirals. The walls were covered with red tapestries, except where the window was, the doors were and another portrait hung. Her bed was a king-sized, 4-poster bed. The comforter was red and the hangings were gold and slightly see-through. There was a desk at the end of her bed, a large bookshelf in the corner, a dresser in the opposite corner and a closet beside the dresser.

Malfoy's room was pretty much the exact same except that the carpet was green adorned with silver and the tapestries that hung around the room were green. The comforter on his bed was green and the bed hangings were silver and slightly see-through.

Hermione walked to the door and opened it, revealing a luxurious bathroom. The floor was made of white tiles and the walls were stone. There was a counter with two sinks in the centre of the room. Against the wall, a sunken in whirlpool tub in the corner by Hermione's door and a stand-up shower and toilet by Malfoy's door. The loo, itself, was hidden in a stall that was tucked between the shower and the whirlpool tub. This was so someone could still use the sinks while someone was in there. There was also another door that led right into the common room. There was an empty stand on each side of the bathroom save for 5 towels on each stand. The towels on the stand close to Hermione's room were red and the ones by Malfoy's door were green.

Hermione was just about to leave to fetch her bathroom supplies when the door to Malfoy's room burst open. "I guess this means I have to share the bathroom along with the common room with you," Malfoy groaned.

"Do you think that I _want_ to share it with you?" Hermione asked with a frown.

"Well of course you do. I am Draco Malfoy after all. And who wouldn't want to spend as much time as possible with me after all," Malfoy smirked.

"Malfoy you are way too arrogant for your own good," Hermione sighed.

"I'm just telling the truth!" Malfoy said innocently.

"One of these days Malfoy something is going to happen to you to make you realize how much of a git you are."

"Really, Granger? Let me know when that day comes so I'll be prepared," Malfoy drawled.

"You're an arrogant prat. Did you know that, Malfoy?" Hermione scoffed as she turned on her heel and exited to her room, slamming the door behind her.

Malfoy smirked and shook his head before leaving the bathroom.

Hermione walked to her bed and through herself down onto it. He was a prat. She thought she saw something good in him the year before. Like during the war when he said that he wasn't there to hurt her or her friends. That he wasn't with her but he wasn't against her either.

Hermione bolted upright, suddenly remembering that he said that he had a score to settle. What was that 'score'?

She huffed and cursed herself. Why should she worry about something that she would never find out?

'Because you care,' something deep inside her whispered.

Yes, very deep inside. Six years of resentment assured that position. 'Yeah right," something inside her snorted.

Hermione was really beginning to think she was losing it now, thinking about Malfoy of all people like that. She immediately got up and grabbed her toiletries and ran back into the bathroom.

She placed a locking charm on all of the doors before taking a shower. She got out of the shower stall a few minutes later and walked over to the sinks. She pulled her wand out of her robe and cleared the mirror from the fog and dried her hair before she changed into her pyjamas and brushed her teeth. As she left the bathroom she said a spell that unlocked the other two doors. Shem smiled looking at her large and very comfy looking bed before taking a running leap for it. She climbed under the covers and snuggled into the bedding before falling asleep. Unfortunately her content mood wasn't going to last.

_Hermione opened her eyes and realized that she wasn't in her dormitory. She was standing in her living room. Her mom sat on the couch with her head hung low. She was wearing her pyjamas and her hair was a mess from sleeping._

"_Mom?" Hermione hear herself ask._

"… _I was so angry last night, Hermione. I-I couldn't help myself," Hermione's mother cried softly._

_Hermione felt her legs start to move and her knees buckled making her sit down on the couch._

"_What happened last night, Mom?" Hermione asked_

"_I-I drank so much! I can't remember anything after my third glass! I don't even remember how I got home, Hermione. All I remember is the first two glasses and a really cold shower while I was still in my clothes!" her mother cried._

_Hermione couldn't believe that her mother had let things get so far. Her mother was not a drinker and her smaller frame was not the type for heavy drinking. She knew she was mad at her ex-husband, but she didn't think she would get herself so drunk that she wouldn't remember anything._

"_That's not all, Hermione. I've felt… I've felt this way before."_

_Hermione didn't think she heard right. Did her mother really say that she had done that before?_

"_W-What?" Hermione stuttered._

"_You heard me. I've done this before... The night you were created."_

_Hermione slid away from her mother and looked at her with disbelief._

"_Was I… Was I a mistake?" Hermione asked with fear sliding into her voice._

"_No, no, no, no, hunny. I love you. Even though your father isn't…"_

Hermione was thrown out of her dream at the sound of someone shouting. She sat up and listened hard to the shouting and realized it was Malfoy's voice. She quickly got out of bed and ran through the bathroom door. She ran right over to Malfoy's entrance and saw that it was partially opened.

"Get the hell out Pansy! If you ever come in here again then Weasel won't be only one in our bloodly year who's eaten slugs," came Malfoy's voice, filled with rage.

Pansy looked utterly horrified. She started backing up as she said, "But I thought you would like company other than Granger's?"

"Does it look like she's keeping me company?" Malfoy sneered.

Pansy fearfully shook her head before turning and running out the door. Draco ran a hand through his hair before standing and staring at the door for a few more minutes. Hermione's eyes had wandered over his shirtless, well built back. He wore green and grey pyjama pants that hung loosely on him. He turned around and started back to the bathroom door.

Hermione realized what he was doing and started to run back to her room. She had just reached her door when she heard Malfoy groan in frustration. She spun around and saw him scowling in her direction.

"So you heard the whole thing?" he asked.

Hermione turned to fully face him before crossing her arms and saying, "You woke me up with your yelling so I went to see what was going on… How the hell did Parkinson get in here?"

"She said she heard me say the password earlier."

Hermione rolled her eyes and spoke with sarcasm, "Oh, how convenient. The Slytherin princess knows the Heads' password. Barely even the second day of school and we need a new password."

"Are you saying that I willingly gave her the password?" Draco growled.

"Who knows with you?" Hermione retorted. "Anyways I'm going back to sleep. I was in the middle of a really… good dream when you started screaming at your little tramp of a girlfriend," Hermione lied about the dream, since it was particularly good. She wasn't about to admit that to Malfoy though.

"She isn't my girlfriend. Never was either no matter what she seems to think. What do your pals think about you being away from them and being up here alone with me?" He stated with a smirk.

"Malfoy, just go back to bed. That's where I'm heading. We do have classes first thing in the morning. In case you forgot." Hermione responded in a tone that implied that she thought he had very little functioning brain cells with this level of tiredness.

"I'm not stopping you Granger. Just wander off back to your dreams of... whatever you dream about."

"Goodnight, Malfoy. Next time you want to have a screaming match in your room put up a silencing charm first so I don't have to hear it." With that said Hermione turned around and walked out of the bathroom and climbed back into bed.

'I hope that I can slip back into that dream, but I doubt it.' Hermione thought as she pulled the covers up to her chin and snuggled into her bed. Unfortunately it was still a fitful night.

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To our loyal followers:

RuRoo Bookie: So you think you know do you...

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Again please read and review... we are trying to update every five days.


	4. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: We wish but we don't. We would have bigger houses and people doing our chores for us if we owned Harry Potter... therefore we DON'T own Harry Potter... and now we go and do our dishes.

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Chapter 3

A few weeks later….

Hermione woke up feeling refreshed and ready to start her day. She got up, had her shower, and got dressed in her school uniform. Once she was ready for the day she gathered up her books from her desk and decided to head down to breakfast. On her way through the Head's common room she ran across Malfoy passed out on the couch. He was laying there without a shirt on looking as yummy as ever. Just before she walked out the portrait into the hall she yelled at him to wake up. They had been getting along better and she had learned that you didn't want to speak with him in the morning until he was up for at least 15 minutes. He woke up with a start and glared at her as she made a quick escape.

After placing her books on the table beside her, Hermione made herself a plate of mixed fruit for breakfast. She had of course beaten Harry and Ron down to breakfast.

'Those two were probably up until all hours finishing that potions essay that's due today. You would think they would learn NOT to leave things until the last minute but Noooo. That would make sense and this is Ron and Harry. Since I'm thinking, of people that were up until all hours of the night. Dra… I mean Malfoy must have been pulling an all nighter for me to find him on the couch this morning. And topless to boot. He is quite the hottie. Wait, what am I thinking. Malfoy hot? I think I need to have my head checked.' Hermione thought while shaking her head.

Just as she finished her last thought a loud grunt came from beside her. "Morning 'Mione" Harry said tiredly as he sat down with a thud.

Ron sort of just snorted a morning as he sat down and started filling his plate with food at the same time. Harry at least waited until he was sitting before loading up on his greasy breakfast.

'I still don't know how either of them manage to stay so skinny eating the way they do. It must be the quidditch games that keep them slim. I know how much Malfoy works out to keep in shape for it. I have to quit thinking about Malfoy!' Hermione thought with another shake of her head.

"How was your night, boys?" she asked as she picked up a piece of cantaloupe and tossed it in her mouth.

"Mbnot mbtbad," Ron replied through a mouth full of food.

"I think he said 'not bad'," Harry clarified before Hermione scolded Ron for talking with his mouth full, "What about you, Hermione?"

"That's good, guys. Mine wasn't too bad but, man, I have been having some pretty weird dreams lately." Hermione answered back. Just then there was a collective gasp from the Slytherin table. Hermione looked around to see what it was about and saw Malfoy walk or should she say strut into the room.

Just then the sound of beating wings started. At the sound all three of them looked up. The mail owls swooped gracefully. Well, almost all of them. The Weasely family owl narrowly missed clipping its wing on the window and then landed with a thud in front of Ron. Hermione also received a letter, while Harry managed to remove the Daily Profit from the delivery owl's leg and pay him. Ron had a package with a new sweater in it. Harry was scanning over the headlines and Hermione was deep into reading her letter.

'Hermione,

How is school going hun? I'm quite sure all is well and that you are managing to keep up with your studies as well as head girl duties. I know I have said it many times but I am so very proud of all you have accomplished. The past few years have been tough on us but we seemed to have made it through without too much harm.

You probably recall in my last letter I said I wasn't feeling well and that it was probably just a bug of some sort. Well I'm still not feeling the greatest. It's really hard to describe. I feel tired all the time but I can't sleep. So a made an appointment with our family doctor for the end of the week. Hopefully he will be able to tell me what is wrong. I'm sure it is nothing serious. Maybe I'm just trying to do too much.

Anyway I'll write you later in the week after the appointment and let you know how it all went. Have a good week and write back soon.

Lots of love,

Mom'

"Well 'Mione what's the word from home?" Ron asked between bites. "I wish mom would discover something else to knit. The sweaters are warm but I have 10 of them now."

"Well mom is just saying what she does in every letter. 'I'm so proud bla bla bla…' She hasn't been feeling well lately and she is finally going to see a doctor about it. And that's about it." Hermione said with a smile.

"I hope she is ok. And she does have every right to be proud of you." replied Harry as he picked his goblet of pumpkin juice.

"I'll write her back today after class. I'm sure she is fine. She probably just picked up a stubborn bug. She said she would write again after she saw the doctor. Come on guys it's time for class. I hope you managed to get the two feet done for potions."

Ron and Harry both groaned and said, "We did, 'Mione," as the trio stood and started towards the door. "We were up until 3am but it's done." Ron said as he shoved a piece of bacon in his mouth. With that they all headed off to their classes.

They saw each other again at lunch and did a quick run down of their plans for after class. Hermione was going to get her homework done and then write back to her mom before starting her patrolling. Harry and Ron had quidditch practice and still hadn't done the homework that was due the next day even though the assignment was handed out a week before.

At supper Harry and Ron whined about how much homework was given out and how far behind they were. Hermione just half listened to them with a slight grin on her face knowing that before long they would be asking her for help. She also had other things on her mind at the time. She kept having mental flashbacks of Draco sleeping on the couch that morning. The vision of biceps, pectorals and his perfectly formed six pack had her wondering what would happen if……

The boys jumped up from their seat, "We have to get to Quidditch practice 'Mione."

Hermione smiled with her last thought still on her mind before getting up and saying, "Okay, I'm going to go and write my mom then and do my homework."

The trio left the Great Hall and parted ways at the moving staircases so that Ron and Harry could go to Gryffindor tower to change and Hermione headed up to the Heads' common room to get her homework done. She paused briefly in the common room to say 'hi' to Malfoy who was working on his homework at the table before going up the stairs to her own room. The window by her desk had a view of the quidditch pitch so she did keep tabs on how Harry and Ron were doing at practice. She never could figure out what exactly the attraction was with that game. A bunch of people flying around on brooms scoring with one kind of ball, avoiding another kind of ball that could really hurt you if you were hit by it and trying to catch one that you can barely see. Who ever thought up that game in Hermione's opinion had something wrong with them. She grabbed a fresh piece of parchment to send a note to her mom before she started on her homework.

'Mom

Thanks for believing in me. Yes, the last few years have been hard but we are strong, smart women who can handle anything. Hope all goes well at the doctor. I wish I could write more but I need to get patrolling the hallways soon.

Lots of Love,

Hermione'

She decided she would wait until later to send the letter, so she rolled up the parchment and set it aside. She started her homework, event though she had nothing due the next day and finished another assignment that was due the next week a couple hours later.

She decided that she would head up to the owlery to send her letter. Once there, she sent the letter on it's way and then headed back down to go to the Gryffindor common room early before she and Ginny had to patrol.

In the Gryffindor common room, Ron and Harry were sitting at one of the tables, rapidly scribbling away at their homework that was due the next day. Hermione looked over their shoulders to read what they had finished so far. Harry was further done than Ron was and his writing was a tab neater.

"Ron, you forgot to mention this ingredient for the potion and say what would happen if you forgot to add it," Hermione said as she pointed to the said ingredient in the textbook.

She looked back over at Harry's in time to see him write down the wrong ingredient, which she quickly pointed out, "Wrong ingredient Harry!"

Harry saw that if was wrong and smiled up at Hermione and said, "Thanks."

At that moment, Ginny came down the stairs and saw Hermione over at the table with Harry and Ron. She walked over and said, "Ready, 'Mione?"

"Yes, let's go Ginny," Hermione said as she left the Gryffindor common room after saying goodbye to her two best friends.

She was happy tonight as she didn't have to patrol with Malfoy the way she usually did. She didn't think she would be able to concentrate on patrolling if Malfoy was there tonight. As they looked around for students out of bed Ginny told Hermione all of the gossip from the Gryffindor common room. Hermione missed living in Gryffindor tower with her friends, even thought she loved her new room.

After their shift was over, Hermione dropped Ginny off at the portrait of the Fat Lady before heading to her own common room. Once she was back in her own common room she wrote out a brief report for Professor McGonagall listing what houses lost points and how many points. She didn't have to do this but she liked to keep the Professor informed and helped her relax after a night of patrolling. After giving the report to a house elf to deliver Hermione went and put on her pyjamas. After she was comfortable she wandered back out to the common room and started to read a text book in front of the fire. Once she had finished the reading the chapter for potions class tomorrow for the fourth time she knew it without even thinking. She put the textbook away and headed off to bed. 'I hope these dreams I've been having lately give me a night off. They really are starting to get to me.' Hermione thought hopefully as she climbed under the covers.

It didn't take long before her eyes drifted shut and she began to dream…

"_Mom? Mom, are you ok?" _

_Hermione looked down at her mom, who was looking thinner by the day. It was Christmas, Hermione knew this because she could see the Christmas tree in the corner of the living room. Her mom was lying on the pale couch. Her mom seemed to just fade right in and if you didn't look closely you would barely notice her there. Her skin was almost as white as Draco's. _

"_No Hermione hunny, I don't think I am. That doctor I saw he said I had another 6 months but I guess not."_

"_Six months, Mom? What are you talking about?"_

"_Hermione, I'm dying sweetie. A little faster than what I thought too."_

"_You can't die, Mom!" Hermione shouted._

"_As much as I want to stay here with you my body is giving up."_

"_Mom I love you, you're all I have left! I can't talk to dad now you know that!" Hermione cried._

'_My mom can't die. She isn't that sick. It's just a bug she'll get better' Hermione thought frantically._

"_Hermione about your dad. Hun…"_

"_What about Dad, Mom?" Hermione's voice shook._

"_He isn't who you think he is."_

_Her mom's voice was getting weaker by the word. Hermione hoped that her mom would tell her what she meant before she couldn't say anything else._

"_Isn't who I think he is? What do you mean, Mom!?"_

"_I mean that he isn't…"_

Just like all the other nights before this one Hermione was tossing and turning in her sleep. As she thrashed around in bed having the same dream over and over and never finding out what her mom was trying to tell her. For the past two weeks it had been like this. At first she would wake up at the end of the dream in dismay. She wished many times over the course of this dream that her mom would just say what it was. But now the dream just played over and over again.

In the common room Draco was sitting on the couch listening to Hermione tossing and turning and occasionally yell something out in her sleep. He wanted to help but didn't know what to do. Or how she would react to him being in her room, or to this side of him. The side that didn't hate her. The side that cared how she felt. All he wanted to was to go to her and hold her, wanted her to know that she wasn't alone. He had spent many nights tossing and turning. He didn't know what was going on in there all he could was assume it was a dream. So yet again he fell asleep on the couch.

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To our friendly neighbourhood reviewers:

Danish Pastry 28 - here is the next chapter for you to bite into

nikkit

Author's Note: We're BACK! Sorry we updated a day late... neither of us were online at the same time last night (yes it really is a combined effort) so we are updating now. We had some good reviews with the last chapter and hope to get more this chapter! Read and Review (pretty please with a cherry on top!)

Author's second note: You like it right... so review lol. We'll update Friday to get this back on schedule.


	5. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Nope not ours.

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Chapter 4

"_You're father isn't who you think he is!" Hermione's mom called as she hung on to Hermione's hand as tight as she could to stop herself from falling down the long staircase that seemed never ending._

"_What is it, Mom!" Hermione cried while trying to pull her mother up with much difficulty. There seemed to be a force pulling her mother down the stairs._

"_You're father is…" her mother began but whatever that force that was trying to pull her finally pulled her down the stairs and away from Hermione. Hermione felt like she was being pulled forward, just about hitting the stairs…_

Hermione jumped awake, breathing heavily and sweat pouring down her face. She was shaking from the fear. As tired as she was, she was too afraid to go back to sleep so she swung her legs over the bed and started for the bathroom.

Hermione was pale from lack of sleep. How could she sleep when her dreams are haunted by the same concept? The letter she received the morning before from her mom only made her disturbing dreams worse.

Hermione walked into the washroom and looked at herself in the mirror. Her skin was pale and she bags under her eyes. She got into the shower and scrubbed at her skin, hoping to get a pink colour to it. She washed her hair and got out of the shower. She looked at her reflection again and saw that she was still pale looking.

Hermione walked back into her room and pulled her school robes on. She put all of her books into her book bag and sat on her bed before saying a simple drying spell on her hair to dry it.

'I can't leave like this, what would everyone say?' Hermione thought.

Then it clicked. Ginny could help her. She could just run up to Gryffindor tower and ask for her help.

Hermione jumped off of her bed and grabbed her bag before running out of her room. She almost made it to exit when she heard her name being called.

"What's the rush, Granger?"

Hermione froze and didn't turn around, not wanting Malfoy to see how pale she was, "I-I need to talk to Ginny before I go down to breakfast."

"…You had another nightmare last night…" Malfoy started.

"So?" Hermione forced out, cutting him off.

"This is what's bothering you, isn't it?"

Hermione hesitated before looking over her shoulder and saw Malfoy, with no shirt on again, holding the letter she received from her mother.

She didn't answer. Malfoy took that as a 'yes' to his question. He looked straight into her eyes and saw the bags under her eyes and the paleness in her face.

"How much sleep have you had, Granger?" he asked.

"…Not much… I-I have to go," Hermione said, trying to sound normal, but failing.

Hermione ran from the common room because she really needed to find Ginny and she didn't want to answer anymore of Malfoy's questions. They were on a level of understanding, but that didn't make them friends, right? She didn't even know why she admitted that she hasn't been sleeping to him. She didn't even know why he was asking her in the first place.

She saw the portrait of the Fat Lady coming closer. She stopped in front of it and quickly said the password (Lion Heartstring) to the Fat Lady. She ran inside and scanned the room for Ginny. When she couldn't find her, she ran up the girl's dormitory stairs and into the sixth year dorms.

Hermione was glad that Harry and Ron often slept in because she didn't want them to see her in such a state.

Ginny just walked out of the washroom in her skirt and her blouse. She grinned when she saw Hermione standing in the middle of the room. That grin was quickly turned into a frown when she saw the expression on Hermione's face. She looked like she saw a ghost and haven't slept in days!

"What's wrong, Hermione?" Ginny asked as she put her hands on Hermione's shoulders.

"I need you're help, Gin. I can't go out looking like this! I look like I just walked out of a horror movie!" Hermione said with desperation in her voice.

Ginny looked her friend over and dragged her into the washroom. Ginny opened up a magazine and scanned through it for help. She left it open at an article titled 'Morning Makeover' and read the snippet on how to get rid of bags on people's eyes. She picked up her wand and aimed it at Hermione's eyes and said a simple concealing charm. Ginny looked back at the magazine while Hermione looked at herself in the mirror. Her face was now just pale. Ginny cleared her throat and Hermione looked back at her. Ginny said another charm that made her skin gain some colour. Hermione looked at the mirror again and smiled because she looked normal.

"Hermione, can you tell me why you were looking like that?" Ginny asked sincerely.

"…I haven't been sleeping… I've been having nightmares," Hermione sighed.

"What about?"

"My mom… She's trying to tell me something about my father but I keep waking up. Last night she-she was being pulled away from me down a staircase and she was trying to tell me and she didn't get to tell me…"

"Will you be okay, 'Mione?" Ginny said with concern.

"I hope so… Please don't tell anyone and thank you so much for the makeover, Gin. I really appreciate it."

"Sure, anytime, 'Mione," Ginny smiled.

"I'll see you at breakfast," Hermione said with a smile.

"Later, 'Mione."

Hermione picked up her bag and left the sixth year dormitory. They boys still weren't in the common room yet. To avoid questions, she left the common room and walked down to the Great Hall for breakfast.

She sat in an empty area where all of her friends could sit and filled her plate with bacon, eggs, a banana and toast. She started to eat her banana when Ginny, Lavender and Pavarti walked in. Ginny sat on Hermione's right, Lavender sat across from Ginny and Pavarti sat across from Hermione. They girls talked about classes, guys and makeup. Hermione and Ginny pretended that they didn't see each other in the morning. They were able to pull it off because only some first and second years saw Hermione walk through the common room when she was leaving.

Hermione was just starting her toast, which she left for last when Ron and Harry ran into the Great Hall. They were panting like they ran the entire way.

"You two look like you ran the marathon," Ginny giggled.

Ron and Harry both looked sheepish as Harry said, "We finished up our charms essay… We were almost done last night! Then as we were putting our books away we remembered that those DADA questions were due today too… Ron did the first 10 and I did the last ten and we just copied each other's answers… We were desperate, Hermione!"

Upon looking in Hermione's direction, the girls giggled when they saw that she was frowning at the boys. She shook her head and when back to eating her toast. Ron and Harry took that as a sign that they could sit down. Harry sat on Hermione's free side and Ron sat across from him. They immediately dug into the food and began their breakfast. In the distance, the flapping of wings was heard and everyone looked up to the openings to the great hall to watch the owls fly in. Hermione jumped when an owl landed in front of her and stuck out its leg that had a letter tied to it. Hermione untied the letter and gave the owl a piece of bacon and sent it off. Hermione opened the letter and began to read it.

'Hermione,

I got in to see the doctor, he says it's just a bug that I'll just have to tough out. He gave me some medicine and sent me home. I still feel a little sick but the medicine seems to be helping.

I have to go to work now, hun. I just thought I'd send you a quick note to tell you how the appointment went.

Love, Mom.'

The bell sounded moments after and all of the food disappeared. Gaining protest noises from Ron and Harry's throats since their mouths were full.

Lavendar and Pavarti giggled and squeaked, "Divination!" before running from the Great Hall.

Ginny shook her head as she watched them run off and said, "Herbology… See you, Hermione."

"Bye!" Hermione called after her.

"We have advanced Divination too…" Ron sighed.

"I don't know why you two didn't just drop that _useless_ class and took something more worthwhile like Arithmancy," Hermione said, emphasising useless.

"It's an easy class, Hermione!" Harry and Ron protested.

Hermione shook her head before heading off to class. The boys were following behind her until she turned off to her class. Harry and Ron continued up the stairs to the Divination tower.

Hermione took her seat half way to the front of the class with Seamus Finnigan and got her books out just as the last bell sounded. She wondered if Harry and Ron made it to their class but found herself sidetracked because Professor Vector already started her lesson.

Class was almost over and Hermione was almost done the chart she received. Many students were already packing up their charts in their bags and slinging them over their shoulders before going to chat with their friends. Hermione was too caught up in finishing the last box to notice all of the commotion around her. She figured out the last number and quickly wrote it into the box and set her quill down before checking over her work. No mistakes were found. Can't expect anything less from Hermione Granger now can we?

She slipped the chart into her bag and closed it just as the bell rang. She heard Professor Vector shout, "Those charts are due next class!"

Hermione looked around and spotted Ron and Harry coming down the stairs behind Lavender, Pavarti, Dean and Neville.

"Potions with Slytherin next," Seamus sighed from beside her.

"It's not the Slytherins I have a major problem with, it's Professor Snape that I have a problem with…"

"I know what you mean," Seamus gave her a knowing smile.

By that time, Ron, Harry, Lavender, Pavarti, Dean and Neville made it to their sides and the Gryifinndors made their way to the dungeons for Potions class with Slytherin.

Hermione remembered the run-in she had with Malfoy as she was leaving the head's common room to ask Ginny for help. She wasn't sure if she wanted to talk to him, whether he would just be his usual 'tolerant' self or if he would question her further about her nightmares. She didn't have to wonder long because she found herself following Lavender into the Potions classroom. The Slytherins were already there. The ones that weren't sent to Azkaban for being a Death Eater that is. Malfoy was a big influence on them because some of the Slytherins in their year sat out of the war; Vincent Crabbe, Gregory Goyle, Blaise Zabini, Pansy Parkinson. Crabbe and Goyle always did whatever Malfoy did, Pansy listened to Mafloy because she had an undying crush on him, and Blaise was a loyal best friend.

Their Potions class was small, consisting of only 13 students. Eight were from Gryfinndor and five were from Slytherin.

Hermione sighed as she took her place in between Harry and Ron at the back of the class, 'I still can't believe how many other students there were the war. Not just from Slytherin, I heard that some students from other houses also joined the ranks of Death Eaters.'

That had been a slap in the face for all of the comments that all Slytherins were Death Eaters. Here she was with some Slytherins who sat out of the war while students from the other houses were in Azkaban for being a Death Eater. She didn't know who, and she made the effort not to know.

She was brought back to reality when Ron's elbow made contact with her ribs. She gasped and grabbed her side with a glare at Ron only to figure out that everyone was now staring at her. She realized that Snape was beginning his lesson and she wasn't paying attention. She blushed and looked at her lap before quietly saying, "Sorry."

"Now to continue…" Snape started and continued on with the lesson. Hermione would heard what else he said if Ron didn't state, "He didn't assign you week's of detention!" in a quiet voice.

Hermione sighed, the Slytherins weren't the only ones that were changing. But Snape would count as a Slytherin because he used to be one and he's the head of the house.

One explosion and two feet of a report later, they were released from class for lunch. Surprisingly, it wasn't Neville who caused the explosion, Lavender saved him from that.

It was Pansy. She had spun around to flirt with Malfoy, Blaise had spotted the bubbling red potion and knew instantly that it was bad, being the third best student in Potions and pulled Pansy to the floor in time.

Draco had a split second to grab his two cronies and pull them to the floor. This had set off a chain reaction across the class in the short seconds before the cauldron exploded.

Hermione was scolding Ron because he was about to put in to many roots when she saw the bubbling red liquid in Pansy's cauldron and grabbed Ron's sleeve before jumping into Harry to bring them both to the ground.

Pavarti saw Blaise pull Pansy down and heard him shout "Get down". She turned and pushed Lavender into Neville, who was also about to put the wrong ingredient in, and knocked them both to the ground.

Dean and Seamus dived to the ground when they heard Blaise shout and everyone else's cries of despair. Milliseconds later, the cauldron had exploded.

If one was to ask where the Potions Master was at that point in time, everyone would reply, "Out". Snape was called up for assistance and his exact words were, "I trust that seventh years, like yourselves, can be responsible enough to work properly in my absence, especially with the presence of BOTH head students."

Hermione felt a hint of pride that Snape had left her in charge in not so many words. Even if she was in charge with Malfoy. That pride had left as easily as it came when Pansy's cauldron exploded.

Snape had returned only minutes after the accident. No one was hurt badly, just a few burns and scrapes from falling to the ground. Nothing that the students, and the teacher could clear up.

Snape didn't even have to ask who's potion had exploded, since a large black mark and several chunks of the cauldron sat in place where Pansy's cauldron had once been. She was crying in Blaise's shoulder while he awkwardly rubbed her back. Draco took off his burned robe and helped his two cronies up.

Hermione clutched at her burnt foot and Harry hugged his sore chest while Ron sat around being helpless because he didn't know anything that could help them. Harry had stopped nursing his chest when he saw the seriousness of Hermione's foot. Draco came to help Hermione with her foot. He completely healed it and left without a word.

All of the students were required to learn basic healing spells the year before up until the war began.

Snape had given Pansy a week of detention. She had to clean the potion's classroom after all of the classes were over. He assigned two feet of parchment on the safety of brewing the Potion, due next Potions class. He also told them to visit Madam Pomfery if they felt it was absolutely necessary. Draco had done an excellent job healing everyone's major burns, earning himself 30 house points.

Everyone went to lunch. News of the accident quickly spread across the school. Pansy was also following Blaise around because he saved her from her cauldron. Blaise looked around awkwardly while trying to get her to stop.

The bell sounded signaling the end of lunch and the Gryffindors ran for Transfiguration with the Ravenclaws. The class turned out to be dull compared to Potions class, not that any of the Gryffindors complained. They were assigned a foot-long essay on the correct transformation of animals. Their last class was History of Magic. Everyone, except Hermione, slept while Binns read their lesson from the textbook. He surprisingly didn't assign anything for homework to Ron and Harry's relief, as they had a lot of homework as it was.

The class ended and everyone dispersed. The Gryffindors went to the common room to drop off all of their stuff with the exception of Hermione, who went to the head's common room to drop off all her stuff on her desk. She spotted the letter she received from her mother and put it into her bag. She looked at her watch and saw that she had time before dinner so she pulled out her Potion's homework and started on it.

She felt a shadow loom over her and she spun around to find Malfoy standing behind her.

"Oh! Hey Malfoy, I didn't hear you come in," Hermione said as she turned around to continue working on her homework.

"How's the foot?" he asked.

Hermione unconsciously flexed her foot, "It's good. Thank you for healing it earlier."

"Just being the head boy," he said proudly with a smirk.

Hermione smiled. Her expression turned to confusion when his expression hardened.

"What are your dreams about?"

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Danish Pastry 28: Thanks for the great review. And yes you are on the right track :)

mysteriouscharm: Thanks for the review... hope you liked this chapter as well.


	6. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: If we owned Harry Potter we would be rich... We are not rich therefore we do not own Harry Potter.

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Chapter 5

"What are your dreams about?" he repeated slightly louder, more demanding. Hermione inwardly cringed because of his demanding nature.

Hermione didn't want to tell Malfoy of all people what she dreamed about.

"Not now Malfoy. I'm tired and I'm going to bed. Have a good night." Hermione said softly as she turned her back on him and walked to her bedroom.

Draco was not one to turn you're back on, so he dashed around her and blocked her way, "Why are you waking up screaming at night? I can hear you though those thick walls. You're so loud that you wake me up. I have classes in the morning too you know?" he demanded again.

Hermione had to admit that he had a point. Maybe he didn't deserve to know why she kept him up at night with her screams. She still didn't want to tell him about her nightmares though, "I don't want to talk about it, Malfoy! Besides, you shouldn't care because I'm suppose to be nothing to you, so why don't you just cast a silencing charm on my room! Now, I'm going to bed to get some sleep," Hermione said louder wile more force with a hint of bitterness, not really meaning what she had said.

Draco caught on to her hint of bitterness, "I'll let you off for now Granger, but don't expect me to just sit around forever," Draco replied. Hermione turned around and walked up and into her room, closing the door behind her.

He already knew that he could never cast a silencing charm on her room and pretend that she was alright. "You're not 'nothing' to me either," he whispered to the closed door.

Draco settled himself on the couch by the fire, and picked up his potions text and read what was required for the next day. He couldn't let Granger get too far ahead of him in marks after all. A few hours later, he had finished the required chapters for the next day. He set that all aside and saw a book on the armrest. It was a muggle book so obviously Hermione had left it out. He picked up the book and started to read it. He had to admit, it wasn't too bad, nothing he would spend money on but it was something worth reading. Draco really liked the advantages of having a separate common room. Just being able to sleep where you were comfortable was always nice. He didn't feel like go up to his cold room so he pulled off his shirt and laid down on the couch with a blanket and Hermione's book. He read for a while and didn't notice that his eyes were starting to droop. He fell asleep with the book on his chest, his page saved.

Hermione had gone straight to bed after talking with Draco. She changed into her pyjamas and crawled under the covers. She wasn't in the mood to complete her normal routine before she went to bed. She stared up at the ceiling and began thinking even though her body begged for rest. 'Draco has been so nice lately. At least… he is when it has been just us. Maybe he has changed after all. Maybe I will give him another chance but I'm still going be careful around him,' She thought as her body finally got the better of her and drifted off to sleep…

"_Mom? Mom, are you ok?" _

_Hermione looked down at her mom, who was looking thinner by the day. Her mom was lying on the pale couch. Her mom seemed to just fade right in and if you didn't look closely you would barely notice her there. Her skin was almost see through it was so pale. _

"_No, Hermione hunny, I-I won't try to put this off anymore… I know I'm not okay. That doctor I saw said I had another 6 months but… I guess not."_

_Hermione's brows furrowed in confusion, "Six months? Mom what are you talking about?"_

"_Hermione, I'm dying sweetie. A little faster than what I thought too," Hermione's mom choked out._

_Hermione's eyes widened with panic, "You can't die mom!"_

"_As much as I want to stay here with you my body is giving up. I've been under so much stress…"_

"_Mom I love you, you're all I have left! I can't talk to dad now, you know that!" Hermione cried._

'_My mom can't die. She isn't that sick. It's just a bug she'll get better' Hermione thought frantically._

"_Hermione, about your dad, Hun…"_

"_What about dad, mom?" Hermione chocked out._

"_He isn't who you think he is..."_

_Her mom's voice was getting weaker by the word. Hermione hoped that her mom would tell her what she meant before she couldn't say anything else._

"_Isn't who I think he is? What do you mean by that!?" Hermione frantically urged her continue._

"_I mean that he isn't…"_

Hermione woke up to banging on her door. She was covered in sweat and she remembered the nightmare she was having again. She felt annoyed and scared all at once. She was so close to finding out and yet so close to see her mother die. Hermione was trembling and wishing that it wasn't true. She got up and went to the door, opening it slowly. A shirtless Draco was standing there looking stern and worried at the same time.

"Tell me what is wrong! Tell me about this dream you keep having!" Draco demanded.

Hermione stepped back in defence and said with her voice shaking, "No, I'm not telling you. It's nothing, it's just a phase I'm going through, I'm-I'm sure it'll pass in time." Hermione said with a hint of nervousness and doubt in her voice that Draco did catch.

"Nothing? This isn't 'nothing'. This is no 'phase'. You have been waking up screaming in your sleep for I don't know how many nights since the year started. This isn't 'nothing'!" Draco snapped while holding her shoulders and slightly shaking her in hopes some sense with return her. "Just tell me what it is and maybe it will help by getting a load off your shoulders."

Hermione looked thoughtful for a moment. Was she really considering telling the guy that's been her and her friends' archrival? What would Ron and Harry say if they found out she told their worst enemy about her dreams that she won't even tell her two best friends? She knew that he wasn't going to let her off the hook this though.

"Okay, I'll tell you but if you breathe a word of this to anyone, I'll hex you into next year," Hermione said with a glare, finally giving up to Draco's constant persistence. She was just too tired and emotionally drained to fight Draco tonight anyway. Draco just nodded his response. "My dreams are about my mother…"

Hermione started retelling the first version of her dreams. They were the ones she had when she returned from the war at the end of sixth year. How she would go home to find her mother in disastrous mental state because Hermione was at the war and there was something she wanted to tell her. Then she explained the ones she started getting at the beginning of the year. How her mother would be sitting at the table, drunk, and try to tell Hermione the same thing. She reminded him about the letter from her mother about seeing the doctor because she wasn't feeling well. She told Draco that she was always worried about her mother since her dad walked out. Then she told him about her recent dreams, how they're almost the exact same. She said that she was too worried about her father not being 'not who she thought he was' because her mother would be in a near death state. Her father wasn't around and that her mother was all she had left, Hermione didn't want to lose her too. She told him that she does wonder about her father though…

"What can she mean by that? My father isn't who I think he is? What if this happens and she dies before she can tell me?" Hermione starts to cry. "Is she going to die? She went to the doctor and he said that nothing was wrong. Draco, I'm just so scared. I mean she can't die, I need her. What would happen if she died? I don't think I could stand it." At that point Draco could not make out anything that she said. All she did was sob and sob. Draco instinctively put his arms around her and just held her. He always hated seeing girls cry.

Draco was at a loss at what to do. He had never experienced a woman cry like _this_. He had seen his mother cry occasionally. That was from pain when his father beat her or cursed her. He knew what to do at that point. He would dig out his wand and perform healing spells as soon as his father was out of the mansion. Hermione's heart broken tears he had no idea what to do with. So he just held her and let her cry.

Slowly Hermione's cries faded and she slipped into a dreamless sleep, slumping into Draco's arms. Draco didn't want to move her. She felt good against his chest. He could feel her breath even out as she slipped into sleep. He could feel the rhythm of her heartbeat. Draco looked around wondering what to do. He didn't feel right leaving her quite yet. He decided in the end to just lay down with her for a while and make sure she stayed asleep. Draco slowly stretched himself out on her bed keeping her close to him. He tried his best not to disturb her as he repositioned them. In the end they end up with Draco lying on his back while Hermione is snuggled up to his chest, her right leg thrown over his left and her right arm was across his chest. Draco had his left around her shoulders and his right hand slowly rubbed the arm that was across his chest. If anyone that knew them had looked in on them they would've said Draco had been put under a hex. Anyone that didn't know them and their history would have thought they were madly in love. Eventually Draco too, drifted off to sleep.

Draco woke up just as the room started to lighten. He looked down and saw Hermione snuggled up to him. He realized that was probably the best night sleep he had gotten all year long, not that he was going to announce that fact. 'There was just something about sleeping with a person you care for… What am I thinking?' Draco thought as he slowly and carefully detached himself from the woman. 'Caring about Hermione? Wait… when did I start thinking about her as Hermione? I better watch myself.' Draco then quietly tiptoed out of the room and into the bathroom where he then went to his room. He didn't see the point in going back to bed at this point so he decided to get ready for the day and maybe spend a bit of time in the Sytherin common room before breakfast.

Hermione woke up a few hours later when her alarm went off. She sat up and stretched.

'That was a good sleep.' She thought.

She patted her hand down on the mattress beside where she sat, thinking there should be second body there. She was stunned to find there wasn't. She looked down at the empty area beside her.

'I was sure there was someone in here with me. Where is Draco? I'm positive he was here with me…' Hermione lay back down and rolled over. Her pillow didn't smell the same. It smelled faintly like cologne, a very expensive cologne.

'He had to have been here. Otherwise why would my pillow smell like him? It felt so good to be held by him last night. Draco was right; I do feel so much better now that I told him. I was tired last night… Maybe my tiredness is what's making me over react… Maybe I can ask Madam Pomfery for Dreamless Sleep Potion.' Hermione thought and then got up and began her day.

After do her morning routine, she headed down to breakfast. Just as she turned the corner to head in to the great hall she bumped into Draco. "Hi, Dra-Malfoy," Hermione said with a slight hesitation in her voice, catching herself from calling him by his first name

Draco noticed this and was careful not to make the same mistake, "Granger," Draco acknowledged with a nod.

Hermione, after doing a quick look around for other people, said "Thanks… for listening to me last night… You were right. It did help."

Draco just shrugged it off and went in and sat at the Slytherin table.

Hermione shook her head and wandered in. She saw Ginny sitting the Gryffindor table looking across the hall while eating her food and joined her. Ginny snapped out of her trance and greeted Hermione as she sat down at the table. Hermione could swear all through breakfast that someone was watching her. She had a good idea at who it was but why would he be staring at her? Wouldn't that raise questions from the Slytherin table? Then again he would just glare at them and they would back off.

'I shouldn't worry about him. He can handle himself.' Hermione thought to herself as she ate her breakfast.

Hermione decided that she would check and see if he was looking, so she looked around and her eyes landed on the Slytherin table. Sure enough he was looking at her. When he realized she was looking back at him, he moved his gaze elsewhere. She also noticed that Blaise was looking at her general direction, but not catching her eyes, indicating that he was looking at something or someone else.

'Oh! I have time to visit Madam Pomfery before class!' Hermione reminded herself and after finishing her last few bites she excused herself from the table and went to the hospital wing.

She silently walked through the halls to the hospital wing. She knew the route off by heart because of the amount of times either Ron, Harry, and sometimes herself would end up there. She walked through the doors and was immediately greeted by the aging mediwitch.

"Good morning, Miss Granger. Can I help you with anything today?" Madam Pomfrey said with a smile.

"Good morning, Madam. I was wondering; do you have any Dreamless Sleep potion to spare?" Hermione asked.

"You do look pale, dear, and those bags under your eyes are quite noticeable. Why haven't you been sleeping well, dear?" the mediwitch asked.

Hermione didn't want to mention her nightmares about her mother dying, so she quickly thought of something else that would be believable.

"I've been up studying, its NEWTs this year and I have been stressed out… I haven't had a full nights sleep for a few days," Hermione said quietly.

Okay, so it wasn't the full truth. NEWTs were definitely on her mind every now and then but she's been having nightmares since the summer after the war and she started waking up screaming during them at the beginning of the year. She didn't need a full lecture because she didn't come sooner or didn't say anything to anyone.

'I did tell someone though, I told Malfoy,' Hermione reminded herself.

The mediwitch nodded in understanding and turned to go to her potion cupboards to look for the Dreamless Sleep potion, muttering something about the teachers being too hard on the students and how she gets someone every year asking for Dreamless Sleep potion to aid them in sleep. She returned with the bottle and after explaining what to do with the potion, she sent Hermione off to class. Hermione tucked the bottle away in her bag. Madam Pomfrey said there was enough in the bottle to last her a week. She told her to come back in case she needed more and to ease of on the workload.

The first bell rang and Hermione knew that she would have to run in order to reach the dungeons quickly before the class began. So she ran for it.

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mysteriouscharm: Thanks for the great idea. We already had this chapter written but look for that somewhere else in the story. We are hoping to use it :)

FalmeThrower7: We read your story and gave you a review! thanks for the one you gave us.

Danish Pastry 28: Thanks we would love more reviews :)

nikkit: Well here is the next chapter and chapter 6 will be posted on Monday.

Silver-Windeagle: Thanks for the insight. We will keep that in mind if we come across another spot :)

Hope you liked this chapter and chapter 6 will be posted on Monday. Until then... review!


	7. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: Mirror Mirror on the wall who wrote Harry Potter for us all? J.K.R. did of course.

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Chapter 6

Like the mediwitch said, there was only enough potion for a week, so Hermione found herself going every week to get more. She had to go back in to see Madam Pomfery for more Dreamless Sleep potion today for the next week actually. The mediwitch was starting to become worried for the young girl because Madame Pomfrey feared that Hermione was becoming addicted to the potion, like a drug.

Hermione also started to notice that Draco wasn't sleeping well. She saw the bags under his eyes every morning as she left for breakfast. When he showed up to breakfast, however, they would be gone. Hermione knew he must be using a concealment charm to hide the bags under his eyes.

It was a Saturday, two weeks into October. It was a Hogsmeade day for the third year students and up to go to the little town and look for ideas for the Halloween masquerade ball. Hermione didn't even have a date yet so she didn't even know who she was going as or whether or not she even going.

'I have to go. I'm Head Girl!' Hermione's mind protested.

Hermione was so absorbed in her thoughts that she didn't even hear the owls fly in and land in front of their owners. She didn't know what was going on until her own landed in front of her, scaring her half to death.

"Merlin! I didn't even hear the owls coming," Hermione sighed while burying her face in her face in her hands to take a deep breath.

"It's okay Hermione. We all have those days," Ron said in an as-matter-of-factly voice.

"Yeah… Some more than others," Ginny mumbled pointedly at Ron.

"Hey!" Ron protested.

Hermione didn't hear what went on after that because she busied herself by untying the letter from her owl's leg and sending it off with a piece of bacon.

Hermione unfolded the letter and began to read the message from her mother.

'Hermione dear,

I'm not feeling any better so I'm going into see the doctor again. My boss at work has also given me time off because all of my co-workers are telling him that I'm working myself to hard. Maybe that's the problem. I'll take the time and rest.

I'm glad you decided to leave Crookshanks with me. He's great company and keeps my legs warm. He comes and lies down on my lap and he'll just sit there. That's what I like in cats. Not jumpy and likes company too.

I can't wait to see you at Christmas. You're still coming aren't you? I know it's your last year but I miss you. I'm sure Crookshanks misses you as well. I don't want to spend Christmas morning by myself.

Write me soon dear!

Love Mom.'

'She still isn't feeling well…' Hermione thought sadly.

By now, Hermione had completely forgotten about the Dreamless Sleep potion. All she could think about was her mother. She suddenly felt a lump perch itself in her stomach. She didn't feel like going to Hogsmeade anymore.

"I'm feeling a bit off… I don't think I should've eaten that much marmalade on my toast… You all have fun in Hogsmeade, I'm going to lay down. Maybe I'll join you next time," Hermione excused herself.

Harry and Ron were about to protest but both received a swift kick in the shins from Ginny under the table.

Ginny looked up at Hermione with understanding and smiled, "You do look a little pale, Hermione. Why don't you go lay down and we'll all hang out next weekend."

"Thanks Ginny. I'm sorry guys, I know I said last week that I'd help you with your costumes…" Hermione started.

"We can help!" Lavender squealed in delight as she and Pavarti jumped on each side of Harry and Ron and threw their arms around the boys.

"There you go, Hermione, you're all covered. Go and get some rest and we'll decorate the boys," Ginny said while grinning evilly over at the two boys. Both visibly started to sink in their seats. You could almost hear them praying that Hermione would magically get better and say she can come. The magically part wouldn't be so hard… the getting better she would have to work on.

"Thanks," Hermione said with a small smile before turning and leaving the Great Hall and heading for the Head's dormitories. She walked into the common room and sat down on the couch, still holding the letter in her hand. She placed it on the coffee table and saw her book, Hamlet sitting there. She picked it up and was out to open it to her page when she noticed the second bookmark.

'I didn't know Draco liked Hamlet…' before Hermione opened it her page and curled up on the couch, pulling a small black blanket over her.

'This blanket smells nice…' Hermione thought, but paid no attention to.

Hermione had become so absorbed in her book that she didn't hear the common room door open up. She didn't see anything but the book and was unaware of her surrounding.

She let out a small scream when her roommate, the one and only Draco Malfoy, dropped himself down beside her, causing her to jump and almost drop her book.

"Malfoy! Did you really think that I needed you to scare the crap out of me?" Hermione said while catching her breath. "Why aren't you in Hogsmeade?"

"Why aren't you, Granger?" Draco asked back.

"I, ah, had some homework to finish up." stumbled Hermione thinking of anything to tell Draco besides the truth.

"Sure, sure Granger, I will let you away with that as an answer for now." Draco said with a smirk flicking the book and then lifted his body gracefully from the couch. He went to his room quickly and grabbed a scarf before heading out into the bathroom.

'Something has upset her and she doesn't want to share. She's been alright the past couple of weeks, but if she wakes up screaming again I am going to drag every last piece of information out of her.' Draco thought as he checked his reflection in the mirror to make sure the concealment charm was still in place.

He let out a tired yawn and looked around to Hermione's side of the bathroom and a glare off of a bottle caught his eye. He curiously walked over and picked up the bottle from the sink and read the label.

'Dreamless Sleep potion? No wonder she hasn't been waking up the past few weeks,' he thought to himself. He looked down into her trash can and noticed a few more bottles in there.

'She's not addicted to it, is she?' he thought.

He heard a knock on the bathroom door and then he heard Hermione asked, "Are you done? I want to take a bath."

Draco, not thinking, dropped the bottle in the trash with the other bottles even though he found it on the sink and walked over to the door. He opened it and walked by her, muttering a good-bye, and grabbed his travel cloak and Slyterin scarf before he exited through the portrait and headed out to Hogsmeade.

Hermione had decided that a hot undisturbed bath was in order. She hoped that she might be able to soak some of the worries away. Once she had turned wrinklely she dried off and looked at the time. She quickly tossed on jeans and a t-shirt and headed down to grab some dinner.

She ate with Neville, since he was the only Gryffindor in her year that was back from Hogsmeade. After dinner Hermione decided that she just wanted to go to bed, so she just excused herself from the table and went back to the Heads' common room and up to her room to put on some pyjamas and crawled into bed. Hermione completely forgot about the Dreamless Sleep potion and dozed off, slipping into the land of nightmares.

Outside her window, not long after she had dozed off, it could clearly be seen that everyone was returning from Hogsmeade in large groups. Everyone had made a big show of hiding his or her packages that held their Halloween costumes, wanting them to be a surprise on Halloween night. Draco, on the other hand, had just walked straight into the castle and up the stairs to the head common room. No one would have dared to have looked in his package anyway.

Draco walked through the portrait and placed his packages in his room. He had just set down his bags when he heard Hermione whimper through the bathroom door.

'Not again,' Draco thought as he walked through the bathroom and opened her door.

He saw Hermione tossing and turning, whimpering, and occasionally crying out something that he couldn't make out while she slept.

'She must be having another nightmare. She must've forgot to get some Dreamless Sleep potion,' Draco thought.

After a few seconds deciding how to wake her up, he walked over, sat on the edge of the bed and called her name. "Hermione. Hermione! Wake up it's just a dream." When that didn't work he touched her arm and called her again. "Wake up Hermione, it's ok you're here at Hogwarts. Wake up!"

Hermione's eyes flew open and instantly she sat up, gasping for breath. Draco caught her bloodshot eyes for a moment before she just burst into tears and fell into his arms. It took several minutes before Hermione calmed down enough to talk. "Sorry Draco, I didn't mean to cry all over you."

"I'll let it go, if you will tell me what that dream was about. Was it the same dream as before or has it changed?" he asked.

"It hasn't changed. Mom is still trying to tell me something. For some reason I always wake up or get woke up at the same point in the dream. I wish I knew what she was trying to say." Hermione said while still in Draco's arms.

"Things are not getting better then?" Draco asked, knowing that it was an accident that she didn't have any Dreamless Sleep potion left.

"This morning, in the post, I got another letter from my mom. It's on the desk there if you want to read it." Hermione said quietly.

"No, you tell me what it says. It might help you to get it out," Draco said.

"Well, she is still sick. How long can a flu bug last? She has had this since the beginning of the year. It's been at least a month and half now, shouldn't she be getting better? She is going back to the doctor, and she really wants me home for Christmas. That's all the letter says." Hermione said, "Draco, I don't know what to do anymore."

Draco just sat there quietly holding Hermione. 'She really is having some serious problems at home. She must not have told Potter and Weasley about this because both of them were in Hogsmeade today.'

Hermione really didn't want to be left along to fall asleep. She remembered that she had forgotten to get some more Dreamless Sleep potion and she wasn't feeling well enough to go down the hospital wing to get some more.

'I slept well when Draco stayed with me before.' Hermione thought to herself, unsure if she could ask him.

She bit her lip, summoning her courage to ask Draco if he could stay with her, until she fell asleep at least. She finally took a deep breath and asked him.

"Draco, could you stay here? At least until I fall back asleep?" asked Hermione. "Just to make sure I don't go right back into the dream?" She added quickly, not wanting him to think that she wanted him to stay again.

"I guess so, but just until you fall asleep. I need my beauty sleep you know," Draco said with a wink, also hiding the fact that the last time he slept well was the last time he had slept with her.

On that note, Hermione laid down with her head on her pillow and Draco slide under the covers next to her. It took Hermione less than twenty minutes to fall asleep. Draco had no intention of leaving that night, so he made himself comfortable. Less than five minutes later he was also asleep. Sometime during the night Draco had reached out and possessively wrapped his arm around her and she had laced her fingers together with his.

Hermione rolled over to face him and opened her eyes. She smiled before closing her eyes again, glad that he had stayed the night with her. He suddenly rolled over and she moved closer to his side and laid her head down on her back, his shoulder becoming her pillow.

When the sun began to rise, Hermione woke up in a different position, but still in Draco's arms.

'This is the best way to sleep. I wonder if I could convince him to sleep here every night. When I'm in his arms it feels like nothing could harm me,' Hermione thought happily.

What Hermione didn't realise is that when she moved that little bit, Draco also woke up. 'Wow, what a great night's sleep. What would Hermione think if I crawled in here every night instead of my own bed?'

After their brief thoughts they both fell back to sleep oblivious that they had both been awake. They both woke up later to the rumblings in their stomachs reminding them that they did need to eat their breakfast.

Hermione looked at Draco's peaceful face looking back her hers. She had to admit that he looked much better than he had been the past few weeks.

"Morning," he said with a hint of sleep still evident in his voice.

"Good morning," she said as she smiled back.

"I don't know about you, but I'm really hungry," he said, unmoving.

"I am too, we should get up anyways," she said back, softly.

Draco nodded, but still didn't move. They looked at each other and silently made an arrangement so that they would both sleep soundly at night.

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Authors' Note: Terribly sorry to all our readers. The past two weeks have been crazy for the both of us. First one of us goes out of town, then the other went a little nuts and ran away from life for a few days. We both forgot to take the story with us and then well….. you get the picture. Hopefully this won't happen again! We are deeply, DEEPLY sorry!

Mysterious Charm: We are slowly getting there lol. Hope you enjoyed this chapter.

Danish Pastry 28: Thanks. Figuring out the pace for a story is really hard… you want something to happen in each chapter to progress the story but also don't want too much in each chapter.

Retarted Monkey: Thanks we do try.

Nikkit: silly silly you…. I can't wait until the new book comes out…. Not long now!

Dark Cloud: Thanks for the recommendations. Wow you think we should write a book… unfortunately that means we have to come up with our own characters plus a plot… might take more than 20 minutes of sitting a car lol.


	8. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: Riddle me this riddle me that; we can not write like that

Chapter 7

Hermione woke up in the arms of Draco Malfoy. Not that this fact was new or anything. Hermione just still found it a little surprising.

'I'd take this over drinking Dreamless Sleep potion any day,' Hermione thought.

Of course she would. Not only were her vivid nightmares kept at bay, but she was sleeping in the possessive arms of someone she cared about.

Hermione froze, 'Do I care about Draco Malfoy more than before?'

Hermione felt Draco bury his face deeper into her hair and tighten his grip around her waist. A warmth surged through her along with the renewed feeling of security.

'Do I care for Draco more than as a friend?' Hermione wondered.

Hermione suddenly needed to talk to _someone_, but it couldn't be Draco. She needed to talk to another girl.

'Ginny.'

Hermione peeled herself from Draco's possessive grip, causing him to groan in protest, but he let her go. Hermione got up and threw on her Hogwarts robe over her pyjamas and quietly left her room.

As soon as Hermione was out of the Heads' common room, she started running down the halls of Hogwarts. She was running down the halls to Gryffindor Tower.

She finally got to the portrait of the Fat Lady, who was snoring away leaning up against the frame of her portrait. Hermione faintly wondered why she was still sleeping before tapping the portrait and saying the password. The Fat Lady grunted and the portrait swung open. Hermione ran inside and took notice that no one was in the common room. Hermione ran up the stairs to the sixth year's dorm, which Ginny had all to herself.

Hermione burst through the door into the darkened room.

"Ginny! I need help!" Hermione frantically said.

Ginny grunted in reply.

"Ginny this is no time to be sleeping its-"

"It's not even 7 am, Hermione. Go back to bed," Ginny groaned, rolling over.

"What?" Hermione asked.

Hermione ran over to the window and looked out to see that the sun was only half way over the tree tops. Something she didn't notice when she left the Heads' common room. She then looked at Ginny's clock and saw that it was only 6:15 in the morning. She leaned up against the wall and closed her eyes before sliding down, groaning with her face in her hands.

"I'm sorry, Gin. I've just been having a lot of thoughts lately," Hermione mumbled.

Ginny rolled to her side to face her friend, "What's wrong, Hermione?"

"Lots of things. My mom is sick and we don't know why and… there's something else," Hermione sighed.

"What else?" Ginny pressed.

"You have to promise not to tell Harry or Ron. It's personal and I'm just so confused about it right now," Hermione said.

Ginny shifted uncomfortably before saying, "I promise."

"It's about a guy."

Ginny looked at Hermione strangely before saying, "They'll be happy for you if you have a boyfriend, Hermione. They're your best friends and they should be accepting."

"That's not all though, Ginny. It's not about just any guy and we are not an item. At least, I don't think we are. We're just… helping each other. Well, it's probably more for me than for him but still. This isn't about just any guy."

"Which guy is it? I promised I wouldn't tell now you need to trust me," Ginny reasoned.

"It's… It's Draco Malfoy," Hermione confessed.

Ginny shot up in her bed, surprised, "Malfoy!?"

Hermione looked over at the door in alarm, "Ginny, please don't shout!" she whispered frantically

Ginny climbed out of her bed and sat down in front of Hermione, who had buried her face in her knees, "Hermione, what's going on between you and Malfoy?"

"I had been having nightmares," Hermione started.

"About what?" Ginny asked.

"About my mom. She's trying to tell me something but something happens and she can't. It's something about my father."

"What are the dreams like?"

Hermione shuddered as she remembered the last one she had, just under two weeks ago.

"My last one, my dad killed my Mom," Hermione burst out crying.

Ginny moved beside her and put her arm around her crying friend.

"He had a gun to mom's head and I was standing in the doorway. She was trying to tell me something about my father and he shot her. I fell back and he started to walk towards me while pointing his gun at me. He starting yelling at me and asking something that I couldn't comprehend and he was about to shoot me when Draco woke me up."

Ginny was horrified, "H-Have they always been like that?"

Hermione frantically shook her head, "They just keep getting worse."

Ginny hugged her friend and patted her back. She still wondered how Malfoy was tied into all of this.

"Hermione? Where does Malfoy come in? I know he woke you up but how are you two helping each other?" Ginny asked.

Hermione rubbed away her tears before saying, "We-we share a bed, every night."

Ginny's eyes widened and she said, "You two aren't, you know?"

Hermione's eyes widened. "No, no, no! We just share a bed. I know it sounds wrong but I feel so much better when he's there."

"How?" Ginny asked.

Hermione began retelling her tale.

_Hermione left her room after having a hot shower and dressing into her school robes for classes. She had gotten more Dreamless Sleep potion the week before from the mediwitch, but she had finished it the night before._

_She walked into the common room and saw Malfoy once again sleeping on the couch. He didn't have his shirt on but a familiar black blanket was carelessly tossed on top of him. Upon further inspection of the blanket, she realised that it was his school robe. She had used his school robe the night before as a throw blanket._

_Hermione blushed at the memory before walking to his side and squatting down next to his sleeping form._

_He looked uncomfortable. His handsome face was furrowed and his arms were cross over his chest almost like someone was supposed to be there. Hermione shook her head and put her hand on his arm before shaking him awake._

"_Malfoy? Malfoy? Draco?"_

_He shuddered and shot up on the couch, "Wha-What is it?"_

"_You looked uncomfortable and besides breakfast is almost over and we have classes today."_

"_Oh, right," Draco said as he ran a hand through his messy platinum blonde hair._

_Hermione stood up and they looked awkwardly at each other. It was obvious that they were both thinking about the other night that they spend together._

"_-Malfoy…"_

"_-Granger…"_

_Hermione shook her head and said, "You first."_

"_No you first."_

_Hermione didn't know why she was giving up so easily to him but she did anyways, "I was wondering if maybe you could… or… why do you sleep on the couch all the time?" Hermione asked, changing her mind._

_Draco noticed that she changed her mind on her question but he knew that he shouldn't really push her since she had having a hard time._

"_I-I can't sleep there. I haven't really been able to. There's a couple of reasons…"_

"_Like?" Hermione urged._

_Draco scowled, "Well, for one the bed is uncomfortable."_

_Hermione made a face that clearly said that he was a spoiled brat._

"_Alright that's not it. It's cold up there so I sleep on the couch because it's near the fire."_

"_Harry and Ron said that the Slytherin common room was cold…" Hermione mumbled, loud enough that Draco could hear._

"_Potter and Weasel-ly said what about the Slytherin common room?" Draco asked while glaring._

"_I wasn't supposed to say that," Hermione said as she started to turn around._

_Draco grabbed her elbow and swung her back around. About halfway in the swing, Hermione lost her balance and collapsed into Draco's chest. Hermione couldn't help but continue to praise how nice his chest felt. She tried to will herself to push away but she found she couldn't._

"_You know, Granger, this is what you get for being a klutz."_

"_Some punishment…" Hermione grumbled, unmoving._

_How awkward was this situation?_

"_I'm going to let that comment about Potter and Weasely saying that the Slytherin common room was cold and jump right to the point because I know I want it and that you want it…"_

"_Draco Malfoy, stop ranting and spit it out," Hermione said._

"_Granger, would it be alright if I spent the night with you for the… rest of the year?" Draco asked, unsure of her answer._

"_Yes, because I… Well, I sleep the best when it's with you," Hermione confessed._

"_The feelings mutual… Hermione," Draco said, letting her go._

"…and that is how we started to share a bed. I haven't been having nightmares and he's actually sleeping… Or so he claims," she finished.

"That's great that the two of you are getting along and helping each other." Ginny told Hermione, smiling.

"You can't tell Harry or Ron about this, this doesn't leave this room," Hermione told Ginny pleadingly.

"You don't have to worry about me, 'Mione," Ginny fidgeted then said, "I actually have a confession too…"

Hermione was taken back; she didn't see that one coming, "What is it?" she asked clueless.

"It's about a guy too…" Ginny started.

Hermione brightened up and said, "Who?"

Ginny suck in a breath and said a name so fast that Hermione couldn't catch it.

"I'm sorry, Gin, I didn't catch that," Hermione said.

"…Blaise Zabini," Ginny said shyly.

Hermione smiled and pictured the black haired, Italian Slytherin in her head that seemed to be the most laid back guy in seventh year. He was your average student that liked having fun, but not too much to get into real trouble. He was also rumoured to be the most skilled person in the school to create profiles on other students without them knowing. No one could prove it for obvious reasons.

"That's great Gin, Za-Blaise seems like a great guy. Even for a Slytherin. I think you should go for it!" Hermione said excitedly.

"The thing is, Hermione, I already have," Ginny said blushing.

"You mean…" Hermione gasped.

"Blaise and I have been dating since the end of summer, but I was so worried that no one would accept it and when you started to talk about you and Mal-Draco, I figured I would be safe telling you," Ginny explained.

Hermione digested this information and her face lightened up, "That's great, Gin, but you know you could've told me before and I would've been happy for you, right?"

"I'm sorry, Hermione, but you know how it is," Ginny said.

"Yeah I know. And I promise I won't tell anyone," Hermione smiled.

"Thank you, Hermione! And I wouldn't spill about you and Draco!" Ginny said, hugging her best friend.

Hermione and Ginny hugged for a while before Hermione stood up and winked at Ginny, "I didn't see you this morning, I saw you last night, I'll see you at breakfast."

"Sure thing. See you, Hermione," Ginny laughed.

Hermione left the dorm as quietly as possible and dashed to portrait hole when she heard someone come out of another dorm room. She silently ran back to the Heads dormitory. She whispered the password to the portrait of Lady Thina and quietly entered the Heads common room. She walked inside completely in time to see a half-awake and half dressed Slytherin emerge from her bedroom. He was only wearing green and silver pants.

"Hermione? Where'd you go?" Draco half yawned.

"I needed a girl-talk," Hermione answered truthfully.

"You could've woken me up… Or no, never mind," Draco said while running a hand through his messy, bed hair.

Hermione covered her mouth with her hand and quietly laughed at Draco's slowness in the morning.

Draco's brows suddenly furrow and he looked up at Hermione with his eyes wide and said, "At 6 o'clock in the morning?"

Hermione laughed nervously and looked at her bare feet and said, "I forgot to check the clock this morning before I left… It was urgent," Hermione said blushing.

Draco walked closer and put his hand to her chin and lift her face up to look eye-to-eye with her, "Don't worry about it… Just _please_ don't do that again I was… Erm…" Draco started, nervousness creeping into his voice.

Hermione cocked her head to the side and said, "Were you worried?"

Draco jumped back and said, "No… ummmm… maybe?"

Hermione laughed and shook her head and walked around Draco while saying, "There' nothing to be worried about because… well… you protect me from the nightmares… and besides Hogwarts is the safest place on Earth and there's really no great threat anymore," Hermione finished as she started to walk around Draco.

Hermione was about to enter her room when Draco turned around and said, "Hermione, wait."

Hermione stopped and looked around at the blond Slytherin at the bottom of her stairs.

"Yes?" she asked.

Draco slowly walked up the stairs and stood face-to-face with Hermione. Draco took a few nervous deep breaths and started slowly leaning forward. Hermione's heart started to pound as _"This is it,"_ sounded through her head. She started to lean forward too.

"_It's now or never, Draco,"_ Draco thought to himself as he crushed his lips against hers. He wrapped his arms around her slender waist and pulled her closer.

Hermione moaned at the sudden contact and slide her arms up Draco's lean chest to his neck where she wrapped her arms around him. She tilted her head up more to deepen the kiss, which Draco gladly accepted.

Then, just as sudden as it started, it ended. Both were panting and staring at each other with wide eyes. Then they both ran into their own rooms and tried to shake off the after shock and get ready for their classes.

Hermione quietly changed, trying to get her heart rate to return to normal. Once she was finished, she hurried out of her room and down to the Great Hall for breakfast.


	9. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: No we did not create Harry Potter darn it all!

Chapter 8

After Hermione left, Ginny laid back down onto her bed and thought about her dream. It had been about her and Blaise. They were sitting outside a large house near a pond. She had a sundress on due to the warm weather while Blaise wore a white t-shirt and black shorts. Blaise had been skipping rocks on the water and she was laughing and sitting on a blanket a short ways away. One of her hands rested on her slightly bulging belly.

"_How do you do that, Blaise?" Ginny laughed as Blaise made a stone skip seven times on the water._

"_It's all in the wrist, baby," Blaise said as he turning around and walked to the blanket. He crouched down in front of Ginny and rested his hands on Ginny's belly, interlacing with her fingers._

_Blaise smiled and pecked Ginny on the lips. Their trance had been broken by the all too familiar voice of Draco Malfoy. Who was running to them, yelling for them with excitement in his voice._

_Ginny spun around along with Blaise and stared at the panting man behind them. Draco stood up and said, "I couldn't wait to tell you guys and we all know that in this stage of the game she can't run well but… I finally asked her to marry me…"_

Ginny's eyes widened, 'Hermione said that she and Draco Malfoy were getting on pretty well, so maybe it's her that he had asked to marry him in my dream. It's a possibility worth keeping now that Hermione told me her story.'

Ginny looked over at her clock and decided that she needed to get ready for classes. So she got up, and pulled her robes from her closet and walked into the washroom. She stepping into a stall and put her clothes on to a bench before stepping into the shower and freshening up for the day.

About 45 minutes later, Ginny emerged from Gryffindor tower and started to trudge her way down the corridors to the Great Hall for breakfast. Her journey was stopped short when two arms pulled her into the shadows and Blaise Zabini's familiar features smiled at her.

"Morning sunshine," Blaise said cheerfully.

"Morning, Blaise," Ginny said with a wide smile.

Blaise's smile grew bigger as he started to kiss the love of his life.

"How did you sleep sunshine?" Blaise asked after they broke thier kiss.

"Great until Hermione decided to interrupt the best dream ever at the crack of dawn for a girl chat. You would think that she could have held off for an hour or two." Ginny replied with a small frown on her face.

"What did she need to talk to you about that couldn't wait?" Blaise asked.

"She had a secret that she just couldn't keep in any longer. We got talking about guys and, well, I let it slip to her that we are dating. I hope you aren't upset with me I just couldn't keep it from her after she told me her secret."

"You should know by now that I would rather have it out in the open. You are the one that is worried about how your brothers will react. I would be happy to shout it from the roof tops. So back to this dream you were having. Did it star yours truly?" Blaise smiled in his charming way.

"Oh you were in it all right." Ginny smiled huskily.

Blaise's grin grew wider and he leaned against the wall, holding Ginny's waist so that she was leaning against him, "So, how'd it go?" he asked.

Ginny shyly smiled and replied, "Well, We were sitting by a pond. You were skipping stones along the water, and then you'd rub my belly. It was sticking out a little," Ginny blushed.

"Sticking out a little? Are you trying to tell me something?" Blaise said with a grin.

Ginny looked at the floor, "Not that I know of but we have been getting a little carried away lately. But I like it that way. Anyway back to the dream. We were just about to kiss when Draco Malfoy came running out saying something about someone not being able to run very well and marriage. He looked quite pleased with himself, and that's when Hermione decided to wake me up for her morning girl gab," Ginny said.

Just then they heard foot steps and decided they had better break apart or risk their secret coming out. After the foot steps faded they came quickly together for a kiss and then went into breakfast.

Ginny made her way to the Gryffindor table, while Blaise wandered over to his house table. They always made sure that even though they were across the room from each other that they could still see one another. They had actually gotten quite good at it and they didn't have any problems that day either.

Ginny was slightly surprised that Hermione wasn't down yet. She filled her plate with her favourites and as soon as she was done, Hermione came and sat down next to her.

"Morning, Ginny," Hermione said.

"Morning," Ginny said with that knowing smile.

When Ginny looked at Hermione face she saw that familiar look that she had seen on herself back at the beginning of the year.

"Oh Merlin, Hermione, you look like you've just been kissed," Ginny whispered bluntly.

Hermione, who had a piece of bacon in her mouth, spit it out onto her plate, surprised, and looked at Ginny with wide, surprised eyes.

"You can't deny it, it's officially written all over your face. I thought you said you weren't dating?" Ginny asked, slightly teasing.

Hermione looked back at the piece of bacon on her plate, "We just kissed this morning after I got back."

"How was it?" Ginny said smiling.

Hermione only smiled, before trying her luck again with the piece of bacon.

"That good then? It must be the Slytherin's. Maybe there's something they're breathing down in the Slytherin common room," Ginny speculated.

Hermione, thankfully finishing the piece of bacon moments before, burst out laughing at that comment.

At that moment, the doors to the Great Hall opened and none other than Draco Malfoy walked inside, with a grin on his face.

Ginny nudged Hermione's side, "He looks like he's glowing. Never seen him like that before."

Hermione blushed at that comment.

Draco took a seat next to Blaise and they began talking. It was noticeable that they were speaking so only the other could hear. Hermione found herself watching him.

It was almost as though he could feel her watching him, because he looked up, still smiling. Blaise looked over too, but Hermione knew that he was looking at Ginny. Blaise winked before talking to Draco again, who looked back over at his best friend.

Both girls were startled out of their own little worlds when Ron and Harry sat themselves down loudly in front of the girls, who didn't even notice them walk in.

"Morning, 'Mione. Morning, Ginny," Harry said, smiling as he filled his plate.

"Morning," Ron added.

"Morning, boys," both girls said that the same time, hoping the boys didn't notice what, or rather _who_ they had been looking at moments before.

It seemed that they didn't, as they loaded up their plates and began eating their breakfast. Ginny, however, finished hers.

"Well, if you'll excuse me, I need to use the bathroom before class," Ginny smiled.

Hermione doubted that was the case, as she spotted Blaise out of the corner of her eye rapidly finishing up his breakfast as he looked over in their direction.

"See you at lunch, Gin," Hermione said.

"Bye," Ron and Harry said together.

Ginny wandered out of the Great Hall and a little while later, Blaise followed behind her. To throw off any suspicions, Ginny would leave first when she was done her meal, with Blaise following about five minutes later. They met at their favourite hiding place for a few minutes before class. They spent this precious time in the lip lock of the century. Which wasn't saying much since every lip lock seemed to out beat the last.

"Draco is very transparent for a man that takes pride in being able to keep his secrets, well, secret," said Blaise.

"How so?" Ginny asked.

"Well, while looked at my beautiful girlfriend, I happen to notice your friend, Hermione looking over in our direction. I was able to look behind me when Draco looked over and smiled. I know he was looking at her because her face brightened up," Blaise concluded.

Ginny smiled and hugged her boyfriend. Blaise was very good as picking up small details, which helped him pick her up back in September.

_Ginny backed out of one of the compartments of the train only to back into someone else. She whipped around to come face-to-face with the charming Italian, Blaise Zabini._

"_Sorry," Ginny blushed and muttered as she turned to continue with her patrols._

"_That's alright," he smiled back at her before continuing on his way._

_Ginny was slightly surprised that he didn't ground her out for not watching where she was going._

_That was the first spark of interest._

_Throughout the first week of school, Ginny found herself watching Blaise Zabini, trying to figure him out. He didn't seem incredibly different from the rest of the Slytherin house, but yet he stood out._

_One day, Ginny spotted Blaise in the hall. He was walking a few paces in front of her when, suddenly he turned a different direction into a hall that nobody ever used. Curious, Ginny decided to follow him._

_Ginny rounded the corner into the desert hall and looked around. She couldn't see him anymore. Confused, she took a couple steps forward, only to be grabbed and pulled into a dark corner next to a suit of armour with one hand around her waist and another over her mouth._

"_Shh, it's just me," came Blaise's charming voice._

_Ginny looked up into his eyes and saw him smiling back down at her._

"_Okay, so that was a mean thing to do but I wanted to see if you were really going to follow me," Blaise said as he lowered his hand from her mouth._

"_But why?" Ginny asked._

_Blaise smiled, "I noticed you looking at me, and don't deny it, I'm the most observant Slytherin you'll ever meet. Forget just Slytherin, probably all of Hogwarts."_

_Ginny could help but be amused at the Slytherin's obvious self-pride._

"_So now what?" Ginny asked, not seeing any point in denying anything._

_Blaise's grin grew wider, "Well, my little Gryffindor, how about a date?"_

_Ginny raised an eyebrow, "A date?"_

"_Yeah! How about a picnic behind the greenhouses? We'll go to the kitchen and grab something," Blaise stated._

_Ginny liked the idea, so she agreed._

_And they had been seeing each other ever since._

Ginny was pulled from her thoughts when the first bell of the morning rang and the couple pulled apart from their hug. Ginny gave Blaise one last peck on the lips before pulling away and running to her first class. Blaise looked at her retreating back with a grin before he dashed down to the dungeons for double Potions which was with the Gryffindors.

After a long day of classes and nothing more than quick glances in the halls it was a relief to both of them for the end of the day to come. They took their usual seats in the Great Hall so that they could at least see each other and then afterwards when Ginny could take it no more she left the hall. Within 5 minutes of her departure Blaise followed her to their meeting place. The small broom closet at a dead end at the top of the changing stairs was the place to find them should anyone want to find them. They preferred that no one came looking for them.

Stashed away in their space were some soft blankets and pillows made for cuddling on. Ginny made her self comfortable as she waited for her boyfriend to climb the unpredictable stairs. She heard a single set of foot steps echoing through the hall after the stairs stopped moving at the very top. She peeked out and saw a black Slytherin robe that belonged to her boyfriend. She smiled at he sat down beside her and wrapped his lean quidditch arms around her slender form. Ginny was content for the moment to just sit there with her boyfriend and cuddle in the dead end hallway at the very top of the school.

Author's Note

Sorry it's been a while... thanks to our loyal readers and reviewers. This has taken awhile for us to get together and get it and it just a bit of fluff and we will be back to the story shortly. Ours lives have been crazy in the past 3 months both of us have moved (I'm moving agian this weekend). New school for one of us and a new job for the other and in all the craziness this got lost but not forgotten. Hopefully we will get caught up soon!


	10. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: How we wish, how we wish, how we wish we invented Harry Potter but we didn't so we shall continue to wish.

Chapter 9

Hermione sat in her chair at a prefect meeting and let Draco do all of talking. Hermione wouldn't admit it, but she had wanting to skip this meeting because she wasn't feeling well at all. Draco was the only one who seemed to notice but the last time she looked over at Ginny, she knew that Ginny could tell as well and from what she had heard about Blaise, he probably knew too. Hermione also took note that Ron hadn't shown up to the meeting. Hermione briefly wondered why and hoped his excuse was better than being sick, with her showing up and all.

She mentally noted to herself to ask Ron when she saw him next.

Draco finished up assigning jobs to the prefects for the upcoming Yule Ball. He had also noted that Weasley had not shown up to the meeting, and unlike Hermione, he said it out loud to all the prefects as they got up to leave. No one said they had seen him, not even the Gryffindor prefects. He finally told the prefects that they could go and they all hurried to leave. Hermione could tell that Blaise was cautiously waiting for Ginny by the door, but Ginny's focus was on Hermione. Draco cleared the table and walked up to Blaise, finding out a couple of days ago that he was dating Ginny and figured he could save his best friend from suspicion.

"Thanks, Dray. It's hard to keep this a secret from the whole school," Blaise said quietly to Draco and a last few prefects left, leaving the four of them in peace.

"I know what you mean, Blaise. I know you probably just want to prance through the halls shouting it," Draco said with a smirk.

"Man, you have no idea! She's worried about Weasley, I can take him if he tries to pound me!" Blaise said proudly.

Ginny had heard that last comment and smiled, before gaining a concerned expression and turned to Hermione, who was still sitting at the table.

"Hermione are you sure you're okay?" Ginny asked.

"Y-yeah… I'm fine, Gin. Just a little t-tired," Hermione attempted to lie.

Ginny didn't believe a word she said, so she reached a hand up and felt Hermione's forehead for her temperature.

"Hermione, you're burning up," Ginny said with concern, "You need to go and get some sleep."

"You know what, I think I will," Hermione said while pushing herself up from her seat shaking.

"I'll make sure Draco keeps an eye on you," Ginny said before hurrying over to Draco before Hermione could protest.

"Draco! Hermione has a temperature and needs to rest! Can you make sure she gets back to your common room, okay?" Ginny pleaded.

It didn't take much pleading. Draco was more than willing to take Hermione back. He would even carry Hermione back to their room if the situation called for it. But knowing Draco, he would carry her anyways.

"Sure, I can do that," Draco said.

"Thank you. Go now, Hermione! And for Merlin's sake don't strain yourself!" Ginny demanded and pointed towards the door.

"I'll see you later, Blaise," Draco said as he followed Hermione out the door.

"Yeah, See ya, Dray!" Blaise called behind his best friend before turning to his girlfriend.

"I heard what you said before, about Ron coming after you about me, I think that was brave of you," Ginny said, slightly blushing.

"It's the truth. Anything for you, love," Blaise said while grabbing Ginny's hands.

"Well, then, I guess, we could come out in the open, If you want," Ginny started unsurely, but still knowing full well what his answer would be.

"YEEESSSSS!" Blaise shouted with excitement!

Meanwhile Draco was walking Hermione back the common room and she seemed to stumble. She quickly checked to see if Draco had seen her and the concerned look on his face told her that he had.

"Hermione, are you okay?" Draco asked.

"I'm just tired Draco. I just want to go to bed and get some sleep," Hermione replied wearily. Her mind still on the minor vision she just had.

_She was standing at the top of the stairs looking down. The bottom seemed very far away, like it would take forever to get down. She took the first step slowly, then the second. Everything seemed okay so she started walking a little faster. All of the sudden her legs gave out on her and she tumbled down the stairs. _

Hermione shook her head to remove the thought of it. But it did not seem to work. She hoped that she would be able to sleep tonight and then this image might leave her head. She stumbled again and Draco effortlessly scooped her up into his arms and carried her. Hermione was too exhausted to make him put her down.

"Thanks," Hermione mumbled as she leaned her head up against Draco's shoulder.

"I said I'd look out for you, Malfoy's are men of their words," Draco said proudly.

Hermione lightly laughed as she lifted up her arms to help him keep a hold of her and wrapped them around his neck.

"You didn't have to come to the meeting today you know. You weren't looking that great before the meeting," Draco said softly.

"I can't skip meetings! I'm Head Girl!" Hermione protested.

"You write out all of the agendas for the meetings anyways, 'Mione, I can fill you in on how they went if you're too sick to come," Draco said.

"Yeah, I suppose that's true," Hermione said.

"The world isn't going to stop turning if you can't get up," Draco said as he looked down at Hermione and smiled.

Hermione smiled back.

"And I haven't been sleeping well my arse. You aren't going to fool any of us with that," Draco said firmly, obviously trying not to crack a grin.

Hermione lightly laughed again.

Draco finally reached the portrait that led into their common room with Hermione beginning to doze in his arms. Draco checked over his shoulders, for anyone lurking behind him, and then quickly said the password. He was amazed that they hadn't run into anybody on their way up. Not that Draco would cared if anyone had seen him carrying Hermione around. Draco carried Hermione inside, then into her room and put her to bed. She almost instantly fell asleep.

"Now get right to sleep. I'll be up later after I finish my homework," Draco said with a worried smile on his face.

"Okay, thanks Draco," Hermione mumbled before completely falling asleep.

Draco wandered out of the room to get some of his assignments done. He just had a few lines left for his Potions paper and a few questions left for Transfiguration.

He finished a couple hours later and leaned back in his chair to survey his work before looked up at the lion portrait to Hermione's room.

Barely a moment later, a scream sounded from her room and a loud thump came right after. Draco bolted from his chair and up the stairs into the room to see Hermione lying on the floor, tangled in the blankets. Draco rushed to her side to see that she hit her head on the way down and there was now blood coming from a cut on the side, near her temple.

"Hermione? Hermione!" Draco called to see if she would wake up.

She didn't and Draco began to panic. He scooped her up in his arms and hurried down the hospital wing.

"Madam Pomfrey! Madam! Help!" Draco shouted. He was trying to keep his panic as bay, as his sleeve started to absorb Hermione's blood as if dripped down from her temple.

He set her down on a bed as the mediwitch came running from her office to the bed that Draco had set Hermione down on.

"What happened, Mr. Malfoy?" the mediwitch asked.

"She fell out of her bed, I think she hit her head on her bed side table," Draco answered.

The mediwitch nodded before she tapped her wand against Hermione's temple. Next, the mediwitch conjured a wet cloth and wiped the blood from the now sealed cut on Hermione's temple.

Draco suddenly felt dumb. He had known how to do that. He learned it last year, like all the other students his age. It seemed that Draco couldn't keep his head straight when it came to Hermione. Not that he was complaining really. But a cut like that was something that he could've easily done himself.

"I'm going to keep her here for the night. She also has a fever and I want to make sure that's gone before something else happens," the mediwitch decided.

Draco tried to protest, but he was ushered out by the mediwitch.

Defeated, Draco turned to go back to the Heads' common room.

'I should tell Ginny that Hermione is in the hospital wing,' Draco decided, not in the mood to go to bed alone anytime soon.

Draco started to trek up in the direction of Gryffindor tower. When he was on the last stretch to the portrait of the Fat Lady, he heard some hushed voices. He could easily recognized Blaise's voice as one of them.

Draco looked into an open classroom and saw his best friend and his girlfriend sitting side-by-side on one of the desks.

"So I see that the pair of you are out after hours I see?" Draco said with a teasing smile at the pair's look of shock on their faces, thinking they were caught by a teacher.

Blaise and Ginny sighed with relief and smiled after.

"What's up, Dray? Thought you'd be in bed with your woman by now?" Blaise asked, smiling.

"That's what I came up here about. I put Hermione to bed and went to finish my homework. Just as I finished though she fell out of bed and hit her head on the nightstand," Draco said sadly.

Ginny's eyes widened, "Is she alright?"

Draco nodded, "She's fine. She still has that fever though so Madam Pomfrey wants to keep her for the rest of the night to make sure the fever breaks."

"That's good," Blaise said.

'I hope so,' Draco thought, hoping that she doesn't have another nightmare.

"We'll stop in and see her tomorrow. She should be awake by then. I doubt they'll let anyone in this time of night," Ginny said with a small smile for Draco.

"I'm going in before I go to classes in the morning. So I'll see you guys tomorrow then," Draco said.

Ginny kissed Blaise and pushed herself from the desk, "Night Blaise. Try and get some sleep, Draco," she said as she walked out of the classroom.

"Yeah, thanks," Draco said while shoving a hand through his platinum blond locks.

Blaise pushed himself up from the desk and walked over to his best friend, putting a hand on his shoulder, "You'll be alright for the night then?"

"I'm just worried about her," Draco said.

"This is Hermione Granger we're talking about, she'll be fine, Dray," Blaise said.

Draco nodded, "Right. Goodnight then, Blaise."

"Night," Blaise returned before leaving the classroom to go down the Slytherin dungeons.

Draco stood in the classroom for a few minutes before he too turned and left. He took his time going back to the Heads' common room but he still seemed to get there too quick in his opinion. He stood in front of the portrait of Lady Thina in silence.

"Mr. Malfoy?" Lady Thina called.

Draco looked up to the girl in the portrait.

"Is Miss Granger alright? You ran pretty fast with her earlier," Lady Thina asked.

Draco nodded, "Yeah, it wasn't a bad cut. She had a fever though, which is why she was in bed early. Madam Pomfrey wanted to make sure it broke."

Lady Thina nodded and said, "That's good."

Draco said the password and Lady Thina opened the portrait for him. He stood in the common room for a moment, not wanting to go to his own bed, or go to Hermione's bed without her, so he pulled off his shirt and lay down to sleep on the couch for the first time in weeks.


	11. update

Sara's Shadow "Hey Cuz, remember that story we came up with in the parking lot?"

Cousin "Ya, I do…. Gee it's been what 2 years?"

Sara's Shadow "Ya it has been…. We need to get back at that."

Cousin "That we do…. I don't have any of the old files. Do you?"

Sara's Shadow "New computer dippy…."

Cousin "Oh ya….."

Sara's Shadow "I'll start editing what we have done and you start on the next chapter?"

Cousin "Sounds like a plan!"

Hey all sorry about the 2 year siesta on this. Wow… we have been busy. Those full time jobs and adulthood for one of us and the other last year of high school first year of college are a kicker. But we are back and ready to get at it. Hopefully we can get back to our first posted schedule of a new chapter every 5 days or so.

**PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL OF THE PREVIOUS CHAPTERS HAVE BEEN REVISED! IF YOU HAVE READ THE STORY ALREADY THEN I SUGGEST YOU RE-READ THE REVISED CHAPTERS. THANK YOU! )**


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